Digital gift cards are paving the way for the future of bribery¹ and corruption² in China, according to a report by the Beijing News.

To circumvent³ anti-graft watchdogs, those looking to curry⁴ favor via bribery purchase digital gift cards online, then give the card's activation⁵ code to the receiver generally over email. Those receiving the codes for these gift cards can use them to purchase goods at appointed online shopping sites or convert the card's monetary⁶ value into cash at designated e-finance websites.

This system of bribery works because most websites don't require real-name registration⁷ when signing up to use these sites, nor do they require any kind of extra step of ID verification when finalizing⁸ a purchase -- a user can enter any information he or she sees fit. Likewise, the two parties involved in the illicit⁹ financial transaction never have to meet face-to-face for money to be exchanged.

Additionally, those receiving the digital gift cards can redeem¹⁰ their monetary value at e-financing sites like Yu'E Bao, which is owned by Asian tech giant, Alibaba. Gift cards can also be sold to a third party.

While China's anti-corruption measures have been seen to make their mark in the last year, the new technology and lack of online regulations regarding bribery pose new problems.