Luckin Coffee’s success in Singapore and Malaysia showcases how strategic technology partnerships can unlock new markets quickly.
Luckin Coffee, China’s leading coffee chain, is partnering with Stripe to support its international expansion plans. Leveraging Stripe’s scalable infrastructure, technical support, and localization capabilities, Luckin Coffee has established a robust cross-border payment system to power its growth in Singapore and Malaysia.
Luckin Coffee recognized the operational complexities of entering new markets and prioritized a streamlined payments strategy from the start. Having built an industry-leading online-to-offline (O2O) model in China’s mobile-first payment environment, Luckin Coffee needed to adapt to new consumer habits in Southeast Asia, where credit cards and a variety of digital wallets dominate.
As of 2023, Southeast Asia’s specialist coffee market was valued at approximately US$4.4 billion, with projections to grow further to 8% by 2028. With a growing consumer interest in modern coffee culture, coffee chains like Luckin Coffee, are innovating and meeting evolving customer expectations.
For Luckin Coffee’s success, the company required a flexible, reliable, and localized payment system. With Stripe’s support, Luckin Coffee completed its payment integration in just one month while delivering consistent user experience across Singapore and Malaysia, successfully accelerating its international rollout.
This collaboration sets a benchmark for how Chinese companies can scale internationally with the right infrastructure and local expertise in place.
One integration, global expansion
Stripe’s extensive technical documentation and responsive support enabled Luckin Coffee to complete a full payment system integration — in just one month. This single integration model helped reduce ongoing development costs, setting a strong foundation and easy replication for further expansion in other markets, driving operational efficiency at scale.
Additionally, Stripe’s localization support ensures Luckin Coffee’s ability to support a full suite of local payment methods, including credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, GrabPay, PayNow, and FPX. With Stripe’s checkout optimization tools, its Payment Elements system intelligently surfaces each user’s preferred payment method, while Link offers a fast one-click checkout experience for returning customers. This ensures a frictionless payment flow that complements the fast-paced nature of coffee consumption.
Market expertise and compliance readiness
Stripe also provided Luckin Coffee with critical insights into local payment ecosystems, consumer behavior, and regulatory requirements. With deep experience in cross-border payments and compliance, Stripe guided Luckin Coffee’s go-to-market strategy in both Singapore and Malaysia, helping the brand navigate and adhere to local regulatory frameworks from day one, facilitating a seamless entrance.
Zhang Jiangxiang, General Manager of Luckin Coffee Singapore, said: “Our global strategy is anchored in technology and innovation. We chose Stripe not just for its payment leadership, but for a shared mindset around speed, scale, and seamless user experience. This partnership allows us to focus on delivering great coffee to more customers around the world.”
Sarita Singh, Regional Head & Managing Director, Southeast Asia, India, Greater China, added: “We’re proud to support Luckin Coffee’s global expansion. Their growth reflects the power of combining product innovation with efficient operations. Stripe’s mission is to enable forward-looking businesses like Luckin to scale globally through modern, localized payments.”
