Paying with Alipay and WeChat Pay as a foreigner
China runs on QR codes. Link your foreign Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay and pay almost anywhere, even street stalls.
Why it matters
Most shops, restaurants, taxis and ticket machines expect a QR-code payment. Cash is legal tender and must be accepted, but small vendors often lack change. Foreign cards are accepted at big hotels and malls, rarely elsewhere.
Setting up Alipay
Alipay has an international version in English and accepts foreign phone numbers.
- 1Install Alipay before your trip and sign up with your home phone number.
- 2Add your Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners or Discover card under Bank Cards.
- 3Verify your identity with your passport when prompted. Larger payments need this.
- 4To pay, either show your payment code to the cashier or scan the merchant's QR code and enter the amount.
Setting up WeChat Pay
WeChat is also the messaging app everyone in China uses, so it is worth installing anyway. Open Me, then Pay and Services, then Wallet, and add your foreign card.
Good to know
- A small service fee may apply to larger foreign-card payments. Check the current rate in the app.
- Set up both apps. If one card is declined, the other often works.
- Carry a few hundred yuan in cash as a backup.
- Payment apps work fine with GotoChina connected thanks to split tunneling.
Read next
Staying connected in China: what works, what doesn't
Gmail, Google Maps, WhatsApp and X don't load on mainland networks. Here's why, and how to set up before you fly.
Read guide
How to get a taxi or DiDi in China
Street taxis are cheap but drivers rarely speak English. Ride-hailing with DiDi is easier: English app, set destination, pay automatically.
Read guide
Seeing a doctor in China: fast, affordable care
Public hospitals in big cities are well equipped, fast and inexpensive by international standards. Here's how registration and payment work.
Read guide