Payment Guide for Foreigners
How to pay in China without a Chinese bank account
🔴 High Priority 2 Options 10-15 min
TL;DR: You need Alipay & WeChat Pay in China. Both work with international Visa/Mastercard. Setup takes 15 minutes. No Chinese bank account needed. Cash is dying — most shops require QR payment.
Alipay TourPass was discontinued in 2023. The current method is direct international card binding.
Why Mobile Payment is Essential in China
✗ Cash — Street vendors don't carry change. Many places refuse cash entirely.
✗ International Cards — Only accepted at luxury hotels & high-end malls. High fees, slow processing.
✓ Alipay & WeChat Pay — Accepted everywhere — from street stalls to luxury malls, taxis to trains.
💡 Pro Tips: Set up BOTH apps. Alipay is more tourist-friendly, but WeChat is more widely accepted. Having both = never stuck.
Choose Your Digital Wallet
WeChat Pay
Most Widely Accepted1.3B
Users
95%
Merchants Accept
Easy
Difficulty
15-20m
Setup Time
- ✅ Used everywhere — street food to luxury malls
- ✅ Supports Visa, Mastercard, Amex
- ✅ QR code payment + Mini Programs (taxis, food, tickets)
- ✅ China's #1 messaging app — everyone uses it
Alipay
Best for Tourists1B
Users
90%
Merchants Accept
Very Easy
Difficulty
10-15m
Setup Time
- ✅ Very high acceptance rate nationwide
- ✅ Tourist-friendly interface with English support
- ✅ Built-in taxi, food delivery, route planning
- ✅ Scan QR for subway/bus in major cities
Transaction Fees
✓ Free for transactions under 200 RMB — most daily purchases qualify.
! ~3% fee for transactions over 200 RMB — applies to international cards only.
💡 Pro Tips: Split large payments into sub-200 RMB chunks to avoid fees. Example: 500 RMB → pay 200 + 200 + 100.