Quick answer
- You can link a foreign bank card (UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club, Discover) to Alipay or WeChat Pay. No Chinese bank account needed. [1]
- Limits for foreign cards: up to US$5,000 per payment and US$50,000 per year. [1]
- Payments of ¥200 or less are generally free. Above ¥200, a 3% fee on the full amount may apply, so check the payment screen. [1]
- Set up both apps at home, over Wi-Fi, and make one small test payment before you fly.
Why you need it
Most everyday payments in mainland China go through QR codes: street food, metro top-ups, taxis, museum tickets, small shops. Bigger hotels, malls and chain stores increasingly take foreign cards directly at terminals showing the card network's logo [1], but a mobile wallet covers the long tail. Set up both Alipay and WeChat Pay, because a few merchants only take one of them.
Before you start
- A smartphone with the latest version of Alipay and/or WeChat (Weixin) from your normal app store.
- A phone number that can receive SMS. Your home number works; you don't need a Chinese number.
- A card on one of the supported networks: UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club or Discover [1].
- Your passport. The apps may ask for identity verification, especially as you spend more.
- A heads-up to your bank that you'll pay in China, so its fraud checks don't block the first charge.
Set up Alipay (step by step)
- Install and sign up with your mobile number and the SMS code.
- Add a card: open the bank-card or "Add card" option in the app and enter your foreign card details. Your bank may send a one-time code to approve it.
- Verify identity if prompted: passport details and sometimes a photo. Use your name exactly as printed in the passport.
- Test it: make one small payment, for example a small online top-up, while you're still at home so you can fix problems with your bank.
- In China: either scan the merchant's QR code and type the amount, or show your payment code and let the cashier scan it.
Set up WeChat Pay
- Install WeChat and register with your phone number. New accounts sometimes ask an existing user to confirm you; if that happens, try again later or ask a friend who already uses WeChat.
- Open Wallet: go to Me → Services/Pay → Wallet → Cards (wording varies by version) and add your foreign card.
- Verify identity with your passport when asked.
- Pay by scanning a QR code or showing your payment code, the same as with Alipay.
Limits and fees for foreign cards
| Item | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Per-payment limit | Up to US$5,000 | [1] |
| Annual limit | Up to US$50,000 | [1] |
| Fee, ¥200 or less | Generally no platform service fee | [1] |
| Fee, above ¥200 | May be charged 3% of the whole amount | [1] |
| ATM cash withdrawal | Generally ¥3,000 per withdrawal; your bank may set lower limits | [1] |
When it doesn't work
- Card declined when adding it: usually your bank's fraud filter. Approve it in your banking app, or call the bank and try again. Try a different network (for example Mastercard instead of Visa).
- "Verification needed": finish passport verification in the app; some payments are held until you do.
- Payment fails at a shop: try the other wallet, pay by card if the terminal shows your network's logo, or use cash.
- Help lines: UnionPay customer service 95516. In Shanghai, the public service hotline 12345 has English support [1].
Carry some cash anyway
Keep a few hundred yuan in small notes as a backup for rural areas, older taxis, or if your phone dies. Foreign cards can withdraw RMB at ATMs that show the matching network logo [1]. If you carry a lot of cash across the border, see the customs thresholds in our arrival checklist.
Sources
- Pay with overseas bank cards (limits, 3% fee rule, ATM limits, hotlines)
- 外籍来华人员支付指南 (Payment Guide for Foreigners in China)
- 在华支付指南 (Guide to Payment Services in China, 2025 edition, 8 languages)
Last checked 12 November 2026. Rules and app menus change; if something's outdated, let us know.
Do you need a visa for China?
Pick your passport, entry city and dates. We check the 30-day visa-free list, 240-hour transit, mutual agreements and Hainan rules, using official data verified on 12 November 2026.