How to Pay in China

Paying for things in China can be very different from what travelers are used to. Mobile payments are widely used, so setting up your payment options before your trip can make traveling much easier.

The main ways to pay

This guide will explain how to use:

• Alipay
• WeChat Pay
• International credit cards
• Cash

Alipay: Set It Up Before Your Trip

For most foreign travelers, Alipay is one of the easiest ways to pay in China. You can register using an overseas phone number and link an eligible international bank card.

How to set up Alipay

1. Download the Alipay app.
2. Create an account using your phone number or email address.
3. Follow the prompts to verify your identity with your passport if required.
4. Open the card section and add your international bank card.
5. Follow your bank’s verification process.
6. Once your card is linked, you can use Alipay to make everyday purchases in China.

International cards supported can include Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club and Discover. Availability can vary, so check what Alipay shows when you add your card.

How to pay

There are two common ways to pay with Alipay:

Scan the merchant’s QR code

Open Alipay, tap Scan, scan the merchant’s QR code, enter the amount if necessary, and confirm the payment.

Let the merchant scan you

Open your Alipay payment code and show it to the cashier. The merchant scans your code and processes the payment.

Travel tip: Set up Alipay and add your card before leaving home. This gives you time to resolve card verification or bank authorization problems before your trip.

Important: Your card issuer may reject the initial card-linking request. If that happens, contact your bank and tell them you are trying to link the card to Alipay for use in China.

WeChat Pay: A Useful Second Payment Option

WeChat Pay is another major mobile payment method in China. For travelers, it is useful to have both WeChat Pay and Alipay set up so you have a backup if one payment method does not work.

How to set up WeChat Pay

1. Download WeChat and create an account.
2. Open WeChat and find the payment or wallet section.
3. Follow the identity verification instructions.
4. Add an eligible international bank card.
5. Complete any verification requested by WeChat or your bank.

How to pay

Like Alipay, WeChat Pay commonly works in two ways:

Scan the merchant’s QR code

Use WeChat’s Scan function to scan the merchant’s payment code and follow the prompts.

Let the merchant scan you

Open your payment code in WeChat and show it to the cashier.

Travel tip: Set up both Alipay and WeChat Pay before your trip. If one app or linked card has a problem, the other can serve as a backup.