Hong Kong-based mobile payments specialist MPayMe has formed an alliance with First Data, whereby the payments processor will be the sole distributor and reseller of MPayMe’s offering in the Asia Pacific region.

MPayMe’s Znap mobile app enables users to scan QR codes to make a number of different payments through their smartphones, including bills, as well as online and in-store purchases.

Users then input a short PIN to complete a transaction. The company says its approach avoids a lengthy online verification process for users.

The company is piloting its service across a number of markets from July 2013 including Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Hong Kong and Japan, as well as the UK and US. Greater availability will follow by the beginning of 2014.

Znap works on smartphones running iOS 5.0 and above, or Android 2.2 and above, and will soon be available to Blackberry and Windows phones, says MPayMe.