Mastering Payments in China: Alipay, WeChat, Cash Tips
Traveling to China? Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you go. These apps make payments easy with a linked Visa or Mastercard. Carry some cash for small vendors.
Setting Up Alipay and WeChat Pay
To set up Alipay or WeChat Pay, download the app before your trip, register with your phone number, verify your identity with your passport, and add your international Visa, Mastercard, or JCB card under 'Bank Cards'. Complete identity verification so your card is ready upon arrival. This setup allows you to pay by scanning QR codes, a common practice in China.
Using Alipay and WeChat Pay
To pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay, open the app and tap 'Scan' to scan the merchant's QR code, or display your pay code for the merchant to scan. Small purchases often clear instantly, while larger transactions may incur a modest cross-border handling fee. Foreign card users should be aware of per-transaction and annual spending caps.
Cash: When and How Much to Carry
Carry 200–300 RMB in small notes in China, despite the cashless trend — cash is useful for street vendors, taxis, and rural areas that might not accept foreign-linked apps. To withdraw cash, use ATMs at major banks like Bank of China or ICBC, available at airports and city centers. Always inform your home bank of your travel plans to avoid transaction blocks.
Handling Cash: Avoiding Counterfeits
To spot counterfeit Chinese cash, check the 100-yuan note — the one often counterfeited — for a watermark of Mao, a color-shifting number, and a raised texture. Though you'll rarely handle cash in China, be cautious with the notes you use. Avoid street changers; use bank ATMs for withdrawals and keep smaller denominations for minor purchases.
New in 2026: TenPayGo, Fee Waivers, and PayPal
In 2026, Tencent rolled out major payment upgrades for visitors to China: the standalone TenPayGo app, a 90-day fee waiver for international cards on WeChat Pay, and PayPal support at Weixin Pay QR codes for US-based PayPal users. TenPayGo is a new standalone app (App Store and Google Play) that gives you Weixin Pay's merchant network without the full WeChat app — sign up with just an email, no Chinese phone number or local bank account, and link an international Visa, Mastercard, or Apple Pay. TenPayGo is still in early rollout and registration can be limited, so treat it as one to watch and keep regular WeChat Pay or Alipay as your primary.
The other two changes:
- 90-day fee waiver: first-time users linking an international card to WeChat Pay get the 3% international card fee waived for 90 days from their first transaction, on spending up to ¥1,000 per day.
- PayPal works at Weixin Pay QR codes: US-based PayPal users can scan and pay directly from the PayPal wallet — no Chinese app required.
Preparing for Phone Loss in Cashless China
To prepare for the disruption of losing your phone in cashless China, keep 200-300 RMB in cash separately as a backup, note down key information like your hotel’s address on paper, and carry a spare bank card. Set up screen locks, enable remote-wipe features, and keep digital copies of important documents in the cloud. If your phone is lost or stolen, report to the local PSB (110) and freeze your accounts.
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