How do you pay for things on a trip to China? Linking an international card to Alipay or WeChat is the mainstream approach, with cash and a physical card as backup. This guide explains card linking and identity verification, the two directions of QR payment, where cash is still the only option, and how widely foreign cards are really accepted for direct payment.
The answer to paying in China has changed several times in recent years. Today, mobile payment reaches almost every convenience store, every metro line and most street stalls, and both Alipay and WeChat Pay let you link some international bank cards, so overseas visitors no longer need to ask someone to pay on their behalf or carry a thick bundle of cash. The new problem that change created is that each platform's card support, limits and fees are still being adjusted, so failing to test it before you go can leave you stuck at a till on arrival.
The short version. First, the main approach is to link an international bank card to Alipay or WeChat and complete identity verification, and linking both is safer. Second, cash still works, so carry a few hundred yuan in notes as backup, above all for small shops in county towns, market stalls and some taxis, where mobile payment is less reliable or change is awkward. Third, paying directly with a foreign card mostly works in big-city hotels, shopping malls and airports, but is nearly useless in street shops and at attraction stalls, while UnionPay cards are accepted more widely.
This article answers one question only: travelling in China, how should you pay. It is written for first-time visitors who hold only a card from their home country and are unsure whether Apple Pay or a card will work. Card-linking scope, limits, fees and cash rules all change; this was compiled in September 2026, so follow the latest official information from each payment platform and bank.
Before you fly: linking a card and verifying your identity
The key is to complete card linking on your home network, because it involves receiving a bank SMS, confirming authorisation inside the app and sometimes a facial scan. Doing these steps after landing assumes your connection is already sorted, which puts you on the back foot.
The process usually has two steps: first verify the account, registering with your passport details and following the prompts; then add a bank card, entering the number and expiry date and completing verification as your bank requires. The card networks each platform supports are not identical, and most common international cards can be linked, so follow what actually appears in the app.
The differences that matter are limits and fees. The per-transaction and cumulative limits for international cards are usually lower than for a domestic card, and a payment may fail once you exceed them; some platforms charge a fee or a percentage on international card transactions, following their own official terms. Once you know this, there is no point repeatedly retrying a failed payment at a restaurant: cash or the other app will be faster.
Alipay or WeChat Pay: which do you carry?
Install both and make one your everyday choice. Alipay's international card flow, English interface and guidance for overseas users are more complete, and troubleshooting is clearer when something goes wrong; WeChat Pay's advantage is that almost every merchant accepts it, and you will be using WeChat for messages anyway, including transfers between friends and paying a deposit to a landlord.
In practice you will meet shops that display only one code, so installing both and linking a card in each saves you having to ask for help on the spot. Both apps let you activate the local transport code and scan through metro gates without buying a ticket.
If your phone supports a foreign card in Apple Pay or Google Wallet, note that offline acceptance in mainland China is limited, so it cannot be your main method; as a supplement it is no better than simply using Alipay.
Can you still use cash and bank cards?
Cash works, and it is a necessary backstop. Renminbi cash is legal tender and merchants are not supposed to refuse it; in practice a few small operators are reluctant because they lack change or out of habit, so carrying some ten- and twenty-yuan notes makes paying much smoother.
Cash is needed mainly in a few situations: small shops in county towns and villages, morning markets and market stalls, some taxis, incense or donations at temples and attractions, and deposits to homestay hosts. Currency exchange can be done at airports, bank branches or licensed exchange counters, with rates and fees published by the provider.
Direct payment with a foreign card is layered. International chain hotels, large shopping malls, airport duty-free shops and some Western restaurants usually accept Visa and Mastercard, while street restaurants, convenience stores and attraction stalls are essentially QR code or cash only. UnionPay cards are noticeably better accepted in China, so if you hold one, bring it. As for cash withdrawals, ATMs that take foreign cards are common in major cities, with fees and daily limits set by your issuing bank and the bank operating the machine.
How exactly does QR payment work?
QR payment runs in two directions, and the two are easy to mix up the first time.
In one direction you scan the merchant's collection code: open the scan function in the app, point it at the QR code on the counter, enter the amount and confirm, after which a success message appears, usually with a sound. Showing that success screen to the member of staff saves the back-and-forth when you do not share a language.
In the other direction the merchant scans your payment code: open the payment code screen in the app and let the cashier scan it, they enter the amount, and you confirm. Convenience stores, supermarkets and metro gates mostly work this way.
Two reminders. Do not screenshot your payment code in advance and send it to a stranger, since it is tied directly to your account. Second, scanning needs a connection, and in underground malls or where the signal is weak in the mountains the code may not load, which is the practical reason to carry some cash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Without a Chinese phone number or a Chinese bank card, can I use Alipay and WeChat Pay? A: You can register with an overseas phone number and link some international bank cards, with the exact scope following the platform's guidance. A few functions, such as certain situations involving sending money to individuals, may place extra requirements on the account.
Q: What should I do if a QR payment fails? A: First check that your connection is working, then whether that card is accepted at that merchant. Switching to the other app, paying in cash or linking a second card alongside your foreign one all work better than repeatedly retrying.
Q: Where do refunds go? A: Most likely back to the original payment channel, meaning the bank card you linked, with the time to arrive depending on how quickly the bank processes it. Orders paid in cash are refunded according to the merchant's rules.
Q: Do you tip in China? A: Usually not. Service is already included in the price at restaurants, hotels and in taxis, and the few places that add a service charge list it on the bill.
Wrapping up
Sum up payment preparation as one set of actions: install Alipay and WeChat before departure, link an international card to each and complete verification, then confirm the limits and fee rules before you fly; carry a few hundred yuan in notes and a UnionPay or other physical card for the moments when a QR payment fails. That combination covers the great majority of payment situations on a trip to China, and scanning handles the rest.
A reminder: each platform's international card support, limits and fees, the way cash is handled and how widely foreign cards are accepted all change; this was compiled in September 2026, so follow the official guidance from the payment platforms and banks before you travel. Above all, do not treat what worked a year ago as current: ten minutes testing the card-linking step is far better value than sorting it out on arrival.
Payment is one part of pre-trip preparation. Your connectivity plan, the apps you install and your documents need preparing in parallel, which you can do alongsideMust-have phone apps for travelling in China and Getting online in Chinaworking through both together. If your trip covers several cities and you want payments, transport and accommodation connected in one plan, tell 0765trip'sChina inbound tours serviceyour party size, arrival city and approximate number of days, or go toContact Usto submit your request, and a consultant will prepare workable recommendations for the season.
