Payments (Alipay & WeChat) 支付宝微信
How to bind your foreign credit card to Chinese mobile payment apps because cash is rarely accepted.
Last updated: Sun Mar 08 2026
China is overwhelmingly a cashless society. From high-end hotels to street food vendors selling ¥5 snacks, everything is paid via QR code.
Binding a Foreign Card
As of recently, both Tencent (WeChat) and Ant Group (Alipay) have streamlined their platforms to accept international Visa, Mastercard, JCB, and Discover cards.
- Download Alipay (支付宝): This is generally easier for foreigners to set up than WeChat.
- Verify Identity: You will need to upload a photo of your passport. It usually verifies within minutes.
- Add Bank Card: Navigate to “Bank Cards” in the app and add your foreign card details.
How to Pay
When making a purchase, you will either:
- Show your code: The cashier scans your barcode.
- Scan their code: You open the app’s scanner, scan the vendor’s printed QR code, type in the amount, and hit confirm.
Pro Tip: Transactions under 200 RMB (about $28 USD) usually do not incur foreign transaction fees from the Chinese payment processor, though your home bank might still charge foreign exchange fees.