Apple today announced it had struck a deal with UnionPay, China’s most popular credit and debit card system, to accept payments for digital goods on its App Store.

“The ability to buy apps and make purchases using UnionPay cards has been one of the most requested features from our customers in China,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s executive in charge of its Internet software and services division, said in a statement Monday.

Previously, the only way for China’s consumers to purchase apps and other digital content from Apple’s online market was with pre-paid cards, said Ben Thompson, the independent analyst who operates Stratechery.com.

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