Money in China: how to actually pay

The reality: QR codes, not wallets

Street food, taxis, metro, temples, convenience stores, markets and even some beggars all run on Alipay orWeChat Pay. Card acceptance is limited to hotels, airlines, large malls and a few restaurants. Cash still works everywhere legally, but you will be the slowest person in the queue.

The good news: since 2023 both apps accept international Visa and Mastercard directly, so the old "you need a Chinese bank account" problem is largely gone for short visits.

Setting up Alipay and WeChat Pay

1. Install from your home app store

   Not a Chinese app store. Your normal Apple ID or Google account works.

2. Register with your home phone number

   Verification SMS works internationally.

3. Add a card

   Alipay → Me → Bank Cards → Add card. Tap your Visa or Mastercard. You will be asked for the card number, expiry, CVV and billing address.

4. Complete identity verification

   Some features ask you to upload your passport. Do it on hotel Wi-Fi, not on a street corner.

5. Test with a ¥10 purchase

Cash and ATMs

• ATMs accept Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and Cirrus at major banks — Bank of China, ICBC, CCB and Agricultural Bank are the safest bets. Use machines attached to a branch, during opening hours.
• Limits: typically ¥2,000–3,000 per withdrawal, with a daily limit from your own bank too.
• Exchange: banks give the best rates; airport counters are convenient but worse; hotels are worst.
• Keep small notes. A ¥100 note for a ¥8 breakfast is a genuine problem for a small vendor.
• Counterfeit is rare but torn or heavily written-on notes can be refused.

Where cards actually work

• Hotels — yes, and often required for a deposit
• International airlines and train ticket offices — yes
• Large supermarkets and shopping malls — usually
• High-end restaurants — usually
• Museums and major attractions — increasingly yes
• Street food, markets, taxis, small shops, temples — essentially never

What a day actually costs

Per person, per day, in realistic mid-range terms for Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and similar cities:

Intercity high-speed rail adds ¥200–800 per leg. Domestic flights ¥500–1500.

Tipping, bargaining and prices

• Tipping is not expected — not in restaurants, not in taxis, not in hotels. Round up a taxi fare if you like; leaving money on a restaurant table confuses people.
• Bargain in markets that have no price tags: silk markets, souvenir streets, electronics markets. Start at 30–40% of the asking price and be willing to walk away.
• Never bargain in shops with fixed prices, supermarkets, convenience stores or restaurants.
• Tour guides and private drivers appreciate a tip for genuinely good service, but it is a bonus, not a rule.

Departure tax refund (退税)

Overseas visitors can reclaim VAT on purchases taken out of the country. The mechanics:

1. Shop at a tax-refund store

   Look for the 退税 sign; big malls and department stores are registered, small shops are not.

2. Spend the minimum in one store on one day

   The threshold is around ¥500 — check the current figure.

3. Ask for the refund form and the invoice

   Show your passport at the counter. You need both documents, with matching details.

4. Get customs verification at the airport

   Before checking in, find the customs refund desk, show the goods (keep them unpacked and with you), the invoice and the form.

5. Collect the money

   Cash at the airport counter, or a refund to your card. Actual receipt is a little less than the headline rate because of fees.

When money goes wrong

• Card declined everywhere: switch to cash, then try the second card, then ask your bank about a block on "unusual" transactions.
• Phone dies: this is the real emergency. Carry a small power bank; without the phone there is no payment, no map and no ticket.
• Alipay verification loop: use hotel Wi-Fi and passport upload during business hours; support responds faster in Chinese — ask the front desk to help.
• Western Union operates in China and is a genuine last resort for cash.