Travel Essentials
How to Pay in China as a Foreigner
Can foreigners use Alipay, WeChat Pay, international cards or cash in China? Learn the easiest way to pay in China and how to set up backup payment methods before your trip.
Paying in China is much easier for international visitors than it used to be.
You do not need a Chinese bank account to use mobile payments, and you do not need to arrive carrying a large amount of cash.
Foreign travelers can use a combination of:
- Alipay
- WeChat Pay
- International bank cards
- RMB cash
The important thing is not to rely on only one.
For most travelers, the easiest setup is:
Alipay as your main payment method + a physical international bank card + some RMB cash as backup.
Install WeChat as well, and you will be covered for most everyday situations.
The Short Answer: What's the Best Way to Pay in China?
For most international visitors, we recommend this setup:
| Payment method | Best use | Should you have it? |
|---|---|---|
| Alipay | Everyday QR-code payments | Yes |
| WeChat Pay | Payments and WeChat-based services | Yes, as backup |
| International card | Hotels, larger shops, backup | Yes |
| RMB cash | Emergency backup, cash-only situations | A small amount |
| UnionPay / other supported wallets | Alternative payment options | Optional |
If you only prepare one mobile payment app, start with Alipay.
But do not travel with Alipay as your only way to access money.
Why Payments in China Feel Different
In many countries, the default question at the checkout is:
Cash or card?
In China, it is often:
Which QR code are you using?
Mobile payment is deeply integrated into everyday life.
People use QR codes to pay at:
- Restaurants
- Cafés
- Convenience stores
- Supermarkets
- Taxis
- Markets
- Vending machines
- Tourist attractions
- Small independent shops
That does not mean China is officially cashless.
RMB cash is still legal tender, international cards are increasingly accepted and authorities have expanded payment options for overseas visitors.
But if you want everyday transactions to feel easy, mobile payment is worth setting up before you arrive.
1. Alipay: The Easiest Starting Point for Most Travelers
For a first trip to China, Alipay is usually the mobile payment app we recommend setting up first.
Foreign visitors can register using supported overseas mobile numbers and link eligible international bank cards.
Supported card networks can include:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- JCB
- Diners Club
- Discover
- UnionPay
Exact support depends on your card, issuing bank and current Alipay rules.
How payment usually works
There are two common situations.
You scan the merchant's QR code
At a small shop, restaurant or market stall, you may see a payment QR code.
Open Alipay, scan it, enter the amount if necessary and confirm payment.
The merchant scans your payment code
At supermarkets, chain stores and other businesses with checkout systems, you may instead open your personal payment QR code and let the cashier scan it.
Both are normal.
Does Alipay require a Chinese bank account?
No.
International visitors can link supported overseas cards directly to Alipay.
That is one of the biggest improvements for foreign travelers in recent years.
Read next: How to Set Up Alipay Before Traveling to China
2. WeChat Pay: Useful as a Second Payment Option
WeChat Pay works in a broadly similar way.
Foreign visitors can register WeChat using supported overseas phone numbers and bind eligible international cards.
You can then make QR-code payments at participating merchants.
Why install it if you already have Alipay?
Because WeChat is not only a payment app.
Many Chinese businesses use WeChat mini-programs for things such as:
- Restaurant menus
- Ordering food
- Queuing
- Tickets
- Reservations
- Customer service
- Local services
Sometimes the easiest way to complete a transaction is inside WeChat.
Having both Alipay and WeChat also gives you a backup if one payment method temporarily fails.
For a short trip:
Alipay can be your main payment tool.
WeChat Pay can be your second option.
Read next: How to Use WeChat Pay as a Foreigner
3. Can You Use Visa or Mastercard Directly in China?
Yes — but do not expect direct card payments to work everywhere.
International cards are most likely to be accepted at:
- International hotels
- Airports
- Large department stores
- Major shopping centers
- Some chain restaurants and stores
- Tourist-oriented businesses
- Airlines and travel businesses
Look for your card network's logo at the checkout.
But many small businesses do not routinely process foreign cards directly.
A small noodle shop may happily accept a 20 RMB Alipay payment while having no practical way to take your overseas Visa card at the counter.
That is why linking your international card to Alipay or WeChat is usually much more useful than relying on the physical card itself.
4. Can You Use Cash in China?
Yes.
RMB cash is still a valid way to pay in China.
Businesses should not reject RMB cash simply because mobile payments are more common.
For international travelers, cash can be useful for:
- Emergencies
- Small purchases
- Situations where your phone has no connection or battery
- Payment-app problems
- Some local transport
- Businesses where another payment method is temporarily unavailable
You do not need to carry a large amount.
For most trips, cash is best treated as a backup, not your primary payment method.
One practical problem with cash
Even when a business accepts cash, a very small shop may not always have convenient change for large notes.
If you keep emergency cash, having a mixture of denominations is more useful than carrying only large notes.
5. How Do You Get RMB Cash?
You have several options.
Withdraw cash from an ATM
International bank cards can be used at compatible ATMs displaying the relevant card-network logo.
Your own bank may charge:
- Foreign ATM fees
- Currency conversion fees
- International transaction fees
The Chinese ATM operator or bank may also have its own rules.
Check your bank's overseas withdrawal policy before departure.
Exchange foreign currency in China
Foreign currencies can be exchanged at eligible:
- Banks
- Currency exchange businesses
- Airport facilities
- Other authorized exchange locations
You will usually need identification such as your passport.
Exchange money before departure
You can also bring some RMB with you.
For most travelers, however, there is little reason to exchange a large amount in advance if you already have working mobile payments and an international bank card.
6. Do Foreign Cards Work With Alipay and WeChat Pay?
Many do.
China's official guidance currently lists international card networks including:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- JCB
- Diners Club
- Discover
- UnionPay
But this does not mean every individual card will successfully link.
Your card issuer still needs to approve the connection and transactions.
A card may fail because of:
- Your bank's fraud controls
- Overseas transaction restrictions
- Online-payment settings
- Identity verification
- Card type
- Payment-platform restrictions
- Temporary security checks
This is why we strongly recommend setting up your payment apps before you leave home.
7. What If Your Card Won't Link?
Do not immediately assume Alipay or WeChat is broken.
The issuing bank is part of the process too.
Try:
- Checking that the card supports international and online transactions
- Confirming your name and card details
- Checking whether your bank has blocked the verification attempt
- Trying another international card
- Contacting your bank
- Checking the payment app's support information
If possible, bring cards from two different banks.
Two cards from the same bank can sometimes be blocked by the same security system.
A second bank gives you a more meaningful backup.
8. Will Your Bank Charge Foreign Transaction Fees?
Possibly.
There can be several different costs involved when you use an overseas card in China:
- Your bank's foreign transaction fee
- Your bank's exchange-rate markup
- Payment-platform service fees
- ATM withdrawal fees
- Dynamic currency conversion, where offered
These are not all controlled by Alipay or WeChat.
The exact fees and payment limits for overseas cards can vary by payment product and issuing bank.
Before traveling, check:
- Whether your card charges foreign transaction fees
- How your bank handles RMB currency conversion
- Whether your payment app currently charges a service fee for the transaction size you expect to make
Do not rely on an old blog post for fee information.
Check the current terms shown in the app.
9. Should You Pay in RMB or Your Home Currency?
When a card terminal or ATM offers a choice between RMB and your home currency, pay attention to the exchange rate being offered.
Some payment terminals or ATMs may offer to convert the transaction into your home currency for you.
This is commonly known as dynamic currency conversion.
Convenience does not necessarily mean a better exchange rate.
Your card issuer may provide a different rate if you choose to process the transaction in RMB.
There is no single answer for every bank and card, so compare the terms associated with your own card before traveling.
The important thing is to understand that the currency choice can affect the final amount you pay.
10. Do You Need a Chinese Bank Account?
For a normal holiday, no.
You do not need to open a Chinese bank account simply to:
- Pay with Alipay
- Use WeChat Pay with a supported international card
- Book hotels
- Buy train tickets
- Pay for restaurants
- Call a ride-hailing service
A Chinese bank account may be useful for people living, studying or working in China long-term.
It is unnecessary preparation for an ordinary tourist trip.
11. What If Alipay or WeChat Pay Stops Working?
This is exactly why you should not rely on one payment method.
Possible problems include:
- Your phone battery dies
- Your mobile connection stops working
- Your bank blocks a transaction
- Identity verification is requested
- A payment app temporarily rejects the card
- A merchant's QR code only works in a particular payment flow
Your backup should be simple.
Our recommended backup order
1. Try your second mobile-payment app
If Alipay fails, try WeChat Pay.
2. Use your physical international card
Especially at hotels and larger businesses.
3. Use RMB cash
Keep enough for basic transport, food or getting back to your hotel.
A payment problem is annoying.
A payment problem when you have no alternative is much worse.
12. What Does “Scan” vs “Pay” Mean?
This can confuse first-time visitors.
Inside Alipay or WeChat you will usually encounter two basic QR-code payment patterns.
Scan
You scan the merchant's QR code.
This is common in:
- Small restaurants
- Independent cafés
- Market stalls
- Small shops
You may need to enter the amount yourself.
Always check the amount before confirming.
Pay
You display your payment code.
The cashier scans your code and their checkout system enters the transaction amount.
This is common in:
- Supermarkets
- Convenience stores
- Chain shops
- Larger restaurants
You do not need to know which system a business uses in advance.
The cashier will normally point you toward the correct process.
13. Restaurant QR Codes Are Not Always Payment Codes
This is worth knowing.
A QR code on a restaurant table may open:
- A menu
- An ordering mini-program
- A WeChat page
- An Alipay mini-program
- A payment page
So do not assume every QR code means “pay here.”
In many restaurants, you scan the table QR code, choose your dishes, submit the order and pay inside the mini-program.
At others, staff still take the order normally and you only scan a payment code at the end.
Both systems are common.
14. Paying for Taxis and Ride-Hailing
For ride-hailing booked through apps such as Didi, payment can usually be handled digitally through the app or the platform through which you booked the ride.
Foreign visitors can also access ride-hailing services through apps such as Alipay and WeChat.
Traditional taxis may accept:
- Alipay
- WeChat Pay
- RMB cash
- Other locally supported payment methods
Direct international-card acceptance should not be assumed in every taxi.
If you hail a taxi from the street rather than booking through an app, make sure you have a payment option that works locally.
15. Paying for the Metro and Buses
Payment systems vary between cities.
Depending on the city, international visitors may be able to use:
- Alipay transport QR codes
- Local transport cards
- Single-journey tickets
- RMB cash
- Bank cards
- Contactless international cards on selected systems
For example, some Chinese metro systems have introduced direct foreign-card payment at fare gates.
But this is not yet something you should assume is identical nationwide.
For a multi-city trip, use Amap to plan routes and check the local transport payment method when you arrive.
Alipay's Transport section is a useful starting point in many cities.
16. Paying at Hotels
Hotels are one of the places where international cards are most likely to be accepted.
Common payment methods can include:
- International bank cards
- Alipay
- WeChat Pay
- RMB cash
Some hotels may also support other international payment services.
But card acceptance varies.
If you plan to pay a large hotel bill directly with an international card, check with the hotel before arrival — especially at smaller independent properties.
Also check whether your hotel requires a deposit and how that deposit will be returned.
17. What About Apple Pay and Google Pay?
Do not assume that the mobile wallet you normally use at home will replace Alipay or WeChat Pay in China.
Some individual hotels, shops or payment terminals may accept international mobile-wallet services, but support is not universal.
For everyday travel, Alipay and WeChat Pay are much more useful to prepare.
You can keep your usual mobile wallet on your phone, but do not make it your only China payment plan.
18. Other International E-Wallets May Work Too
China has expanded cross-border QR-code payment support.
Users of certain overseas wallets can make payments at participating merchants without creating a completely new Chinese payment account.
Supported services can include selected wallets from places such as:
- Hong Kong
- Macao
- South Korea
- Singapore
- Malaysia
- Thailand
- The Philippines
- Kazakhstan
- Pakistan
The exact list continues to evolve.
If you already use a participating wallet, check whether it supports payments in mainland China.
For most international travelers, though, setting up Alipay remains the simplest universal starting point.
Our Recommended Payment Setup
For a first trip to China, prepare four layers.
1. Alipay
Set it up before departure and link an international card.
This will probably handle most everyday purchases.
2. WeChat
Install it and set up WeChat Pay if available to you.
It gives you a second payment ecosystem and access to WeChat-based services.
3. Physical bank card
Bring at least one Visa, Mastercard or other supported international card.
Ideally, bring cards from two different issuers.
4. Some RMB cash
Keep a modest amount for emergencies.
You do not need to travel with a wallet full of banknotes.
Before You Fly: Payment Checklist
Mobile payment
- Alipay downloaded
- Account registered
- Identity verification completed if requested
- International bank card linked
- WeChat downloaded
- WeChat account accessible
- WeChat Pay set up if available
Bank cards
- Overseas transactions enabled
- Online transactions enabled
- Bank knows how to contact you for security checks
- Backup card packed separately
- Foreign transaction fees checked
Cash
- Some RMB available or a plan to withdraw it
- ATM fees checked
- Bank card PIN confirmed
Phone
- Mobile data arranged
- Payment apps tested
- Phone charging plan ready
- Portable battery packed if useful
The Payment Setup We Would Actually Use
If we were arriving in China tomorrow, we would not carry huge amounts of cash or try to open a Chinese bank account.
We would bring:
Alipay linked to an international card
plus
WeChat as a second payment option
plus
two physical bank cards
plus
a small amount of RMB cash
That is enough redundancy without making something simple unnecessarily complicated.
The biggest mistake is not choosing the “wrong” payment app.
It is arriving with only one way to pay.
Set up two or three options before departure, and everyday payments in China are usually one of the easiest parts of the trip.
Official Sources
This guide was checked against information published by:
- The State Council of the People's Republic of China
- People's Bank of China payment guidance
- A Guide to Working and Living in China as Business Expatriates
- Guide to Payment Services in China
Payment-platform rules, supported international cards, transaction limits and service fees can change. Check the latest terms inside your payment app and with your issuing bank before departure.