How to Pay for Everything in China as a Foreigner

China runs on mobile payments. Not credit cards, not cash — Alipay and WeChat Pay. Street vendors, subway tickets, restaurants, even public toilets. If your phone can't scan a QR code and pay, you will have a bad time.

As of 2026, both Alipay and WeChat Pay work for foreigners with a passport and a Visa/Mastercard. Set them up before you fly. This guide shows you exactly how.

Here's what a typical day looks like when you can't pay by phone:

• You try to buy a coffee. The shop has no cash register — just a QR code on the counter. You wave your Visa card. They stare at you.
• You get in a taxi. The driver points at his phone for payment. You offer cash. He sighs, drives you anyway, then can't make change for your ¥100 note.
• You try to order lunch. The restaurant has a QR code menu — scan it, order, pay, all in one. Your phone shows a wall of Chinese. You can't even get to the ordering screen without WeChat Pay linked.
• You want to rent a shared bike. Alipay or WeChat Pay required. No alternative.

This isn't an exaggeration. China went cashless faster than anywhere on earth, and the infrastructure assumes you have mobile payment. Fixing this before you arrive is the single most important thing you can do for your trip.

The winning combo: Alipay as your primary + WeChat Pay as backup + ¥500 cash in your pocket for emergencies. This covers 100% of situations.

Alipay is the #1 payment app in China. 1.3 billion users. Works at every store, restaurant, taxi, vending machine, and even some public bathrooms.

What you need:

• A passport (any nationality)
• A Visa or Mastercard (debit or credit)
• A phone number that receives SMS

Steps:

1. Download "Alipay" from your app store (blue icon with a white "a").
2. Sign up with your phone number. International numbers work.
3. Verify your identity — tap "Me" → "Settings" → "Account Security" → complete identity verification with your passport. You'll need to take a photo of your passport and a selfie.
4. Add your card — tap "Me" → "Bank Cards" → add your Visa/Mastercard.
5. Activate "Tour Pass" — this is the feature that makes foreign cards work seamlessly. Go to the search bar, type "Tour Pass", and follow the setup. It creates a prepaid balance linked to your card that works at Chinese merchants.

Spending limits: Tour Pass has a ¥20,000/year limit (~$2,750 USD) per card. For most tourists this is more than enough. Long-term residents should set up a Chinese bank account instead.

WeChat Pay is the #2 payment app. It's built into WeChat, China's everything app (messaging, social media, mini-programs, payments). You'll need WeChat anyway for communication, so adding payments is a no-brainer.

The catch: New WeChat accounts need to be verified by an existing WeChat user. If you don't know anyone in China yet, ask your hotel or a colleague to verify you. This is the most annoying part of the whole process, but it's a one-time thing.

Steps:

1. Download WeChat. Sign up with your phone number.
2. Get verified by an existing user (they scan your QR code in WeChat).
3. Go to "Me" → "Services" → "Wallet" → add your Visa/Mastercard.
4. Complete identity verification with your passport.

Why you need both Alipay AND WeChat Pay: Some vendors only accept one or the other. It's rare, but it happens. More importantly, many restaurants, bike-sharing apps, and delivery services run as WeChat mini-programs that require WeChat Pay. Having both means you never get stuck.

Despite what your bank's marketing says, your Visa/Mastercard works in roughly 20% of places in China. Here's the realistic breakdown:

The pattern: international chains and hotels accept cards. Everything else is QR code only. Don't rely on your card as a primary payment method.

Cash is legal tender. No business can legally refuse it. In practice, many vendors haven't handled cash in years — they literally don't have change.

When cash is useful:

• Night markets and street food (some old vendors prefer it)
• When your phone dies
• Tipping hotel porters (the one situation where tipping exists)
• Paying a fine or fee at a government office

How much to carry: ¥500-1000 ($70-140) in mixed denominations (¥100, ¥50, ¥20, ¥10). Don't carry only ¥100 notes — nobody can break them.

Where to get RMB:

• Airport ATM: Best rates, available 24/7. Use your debit card. Your bank charges 1-3% foreign transaction fee.
• Airport exchange counter: Convenient but worst rates. Fine for getting ¥500 to start.
• Bank of China branches: Best rates for large amounts. Bring your passport. Expect 20-30 min wait.
• Don't: Exchange at your hotel (terrible rates) or use random exchange kiosks.

Quick reference for the things foreigners struggle with most:

Subway/metro: Buy a single-ride ticket from the machine with cash (¥3-7), or get a transit card (交通卡) at the station service desk (~¥20 deposit). Better yet: add a transit card to your Apple Wallet or use the Alipay transit mini-program — just scan your phone on the turnstile.

Restaurants with QR code menus: Scan the QR code with your Alipay or WeChat camera. The menu loads as a mini-program. Scroll through pictures, tap to add items, pay directly. If the Chinese is impenetrable, ask the waiter to help or point at what other tables are eating. Or text Cheelin a photo of the QR code and we'll translate the menu.

Didi (ride-hailing): Alipay or WeChat Pay linked in the app. Foreign cards work in DiDi Global but some drivers cancel on card payments.

Train tickets (12306): Book on the 12306 app or Trip.com. 12306 accepts Alipay/WeChat Pay. Trip.com accepts foreign cards directly. Collect physical tickets at the station with your passport.

Online shopping (Taobao, JD.com): Requires Alipay (Taobao) or WeChat Pay (JD). No foreign card option. This is another reason to set up Alipay before your trip.

Meituan/Dianping (food delivery, deals): WeChat Pay or Alipay only. If you want to order food delivery or buy group-deal coupons, mobile payment is required.

If you're in China for more than a few months, the Tour Pass ¥20,000 annual limit will feel tight. The solution: open a Chinese bank account.

What you need:

• Passport with valid visa (tourist visa usually works, work visa definitely works)
• A Chinese phone number
• Your hotel address or residence address
• 30-60 minutes of patience at the bank

Best banks for foreigners: Bank of China and ICBC handle foreign passport accounts most smoothly. Smaller banks sometimes refuse foreigners — don't take it personally, just try another branch.

Once you have a Chinese bank account, link it to Alipay and WeChat Pay. Now you have unlimited payment with Chinese yuan, no more Tour Pass limits. You can also receive transfers from Chinese friends and employers.

• "Payment failed" on Alipay: Disconnect your VPN and try again. 90% of payment failures are VPN-related.
• Card declined: Call your bank before traveling and tell them you're going to China. Some banks auto-block China transactions as fraud.
• WeChat verification stuck: You need a WeChat user who has been active for 6+ months to verify you. Ask your hotel concierge, a Chinese colleague, or a friend already in China. In a pinch, post on Reddit r/chinalife and someone will usually help.
• "Identity verification failed" on Alipay: Your passport photo might be too blurry or your selfie didn't match. Try again in good lighting. Make sure the name on your card matches your passport exactly.
• ATM ate your card: Chinese ATMs time out fast (30 seconds). If it takes your card, go inside the bank during business hours with your passport. They'll retrieve it.
• No phone battery, no money: This is the doomsday scenario. Keep ¥200 cash in your wallet as insurance. Or borrow someone's phone and transfer money to their account, then have them pay for you (surprisingly common among Chinese friends).