Paying in China: Alipay (支付宝, zhī fù bǎo) & WeChat Pay (微信支付, wēi xìn zhī fù)

Why you need this

Mobile payment through Alipay (支付宝, zhī fù bǎo) and WeChat Pay (微信支付, wēi xìn zhī fù) is the default everywhere — often the only option at small shops. International cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) work at hotels and big malls but stall at corner stores. Set up the apps first and you will rarely need plastic or cash.

• Alipay (支付宝, zhī fù bǎo) — the most foreigner-friendly; its "Tour Pass" / international wallet links Visa, Mastercard and Amex directly.
• WeChat Pay (微信支付, wēi xìn zhī fù) — essential because everyone uses WeChat (微信, wēi xìn) for messaging; handy for splitting bills and paying friends.
• UnionPay (银联, yín lián) — the domestic card network; useful as a fallback and at ATMs.

Set up Alipay (支付宝, zhī fù bǎo) — 5 steps

1. Install Alipay (支付宝, zhī fù bǎo) from the App Store / Google Play and register with your phone number.
2. Tap Me → Balance / Cards and choose Add international card.
3. Enter your Visa, Mastercard or Amex details (the app now supports foreign cards natively in most regions).
4. Verify with the 3-D Secure code sent by your bank.
5. To pay in a shop, open Alipay and tap Scan (扫一扫, sǎo yi sǎo) to read the merchant's QR code (二维码, èr wéi mǎ), or show your Pay (付款, fù kuǎn) code for them to scan.

Tip: switch the app language to English in Me → Settings → General. Keep a screenshot of your passport handy — some features ask for it.

Set up WeChat Pay (微信支付, wēi xìn zhī fù)

WeChat (微信, wēi xìn) is China's all-in-one app. Payment lives inside it:

1. Install WeChat (微信, wēi xìn) and create an account.
2. Go to Me → Services → Wallet and link a foreign card (Visa / Mastercard / Amex).
3. Once linked, use Scan to pay merchants, or Money to send cash to friends.

WeChat Pay's foreign-card support is narrower than Alipay's, so treat Alipay as your primary and WeChat as backup.

UnionPay (银联, yín lián) & cash

If your home bank issues a UnionPay (银联, yín lián) card, it works at almost every terminal and ATM in China — often with the lowest foreign fees. Otherwise:

• Carry a small amount of cash (现金, xiàn jīn) — roughly ¥200–400 — for rural areas, tiny stalls, and tipping at some hotels.
• ATMs displaying the UnionPay (银联, yín lián) logo accept most international cards; withdraw renminbi (人民币, RMB) directly.
• Cloud Flash Pay (云闪付, yún shǎn fù), UnionPay's own app, is useful but setup is harder for visitors — Alipay is the easier win.

FAQ