How to Pay in China as a Foreigner (2026): Alipay & WeChat Pay Setup, Fees and Limits

Most shops, restaurants, taxis and ticket counters in mainland China are set up for QR-code payment first. The good news is that since 2023–2024 foreign visitors can link an ordinary foreign credit or debit card directly to the two big wallets, and the government and the payment companies have published fairly clear rules on fees and limits. This guide walks you through the setup, explains the rules in plain English, and links every number to its source.

Alipay or WeChat Pay: which one do you need?

Ideally both. They work the same way at the till (you scan the shop’s QR code, or the cashier scans yours), and most counters display both codes. Having two apps linked to two different cards protects you when one bank blocks a payment.

Card networks: Shanghai Municipal Government payment guide (published 20 Sep 2026) and the WeChat Help Center (read 4 Nov 2026). A network being on the list does not guarantee that every card on it will link — your issuing bank has the final say.

Before you start: what you need

• Your passport (the physical one — you may be asked to photograph the photo page and do a face scan).
• A phone number that receives SMS. An overseas number is fine; you do not need a Chinese SIM (Shanghai government guide). A data-only travel eSIM usually cannot receive SMS, so keep your home SIM active for codes.
• Two cards from different banks if you can, ideally Visa or Mastercard.
• Access to your bank’s app or SMS, because your bank will usually ask you to approve the card link (3-D Secure or a one-time code).
• Home Wi-Fi and 20–30 minutes. Do this before you fly: verification can occasionally go to manual review, and fixing it on airport Wi-Fi is no fun.

How to set up Alipay (step by step)

1. Download Alipay from the App Store or Google Play. The publisher should be Alipay.com Co., Ltd. The app has an English interface.
2. Register with your mobile number. Choose your country code, enter your number and type in the SMS code.
3. Add your card: go to Me → Bank Cards and follow the prompts to add an international card. Enter the card number, expiry date, CVV and your name exactly as printed on the card (Shanghai government guide).
4. Approve the link in your bank’s app or via SMS if your bank asks. Some banks place a small temporary authorisation on the card.
5. Verify your identity when prompted (or find it under your account / security settings): choose passport, photograph the photo page and complete the face scan. Make sure the name on the card matches your passport — mismatches are a common reason for failure.
6. Set your six-digit payment password. This is not your bank PIN. You can then switch on Face ID or fingerprint for payments.
7. Do a small test payment once you are in China, ideally somewhere with a backup option (a convenience store is perfect).

About “Tour Pass” / “TourCard”: older guides recommend a prepaid “Tour Pass” or “TourCard” inside Alipay. Direct card linking has replaced it for most visitors, and several 2026 travel guides report that new TourCards are no longer being issued. If you see the option, you can ignore it and use Me → Bank Cards instead.

How to set up WeChat Pay (step by step)

1. Download or update WeChat and register or sign in with your mobile number. If the app asks for extra security checks during sign-up, follow the on-screen instructions.
2. Add your card: go to Me → Services → Wallet → Bank Cards (on some versions, Me → Pay and Services → Wallet). Alternatively tap + → Scan in the top-right corner and scan the official card-linking QR code (Shanghai government guide).
3. Enter your card details and verify your identity with your passport. WeChat accepts a passport, a PRC Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, or a Mainland Travel Permit / Residence Permit for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents (WeChat Help Center).
4. Set a six-digit payment password.
5. Test with a small payment after you arrive.

Fees: the 200-yuan rule

This is the part most people get wrong.

• ¥200 or less per transaction: no platform service fee on a linked foreign card, on either app.
• More than ¥200: a 3% fee on the entire transaction, not just the part above ¥200. A ¥300 dinner therefore costs about ¥309; a ¥200 one costs ¥200.
• Refunds: WeChat says the fee is refunded in proportion when a purchase is refunded (WeChat Help Center).
• Exchange rate: neither app sets it. Your card network and bank do, and your bank may add its own foreign-transaction fee. A card with no foreign-transaction fee is worth packing.

Sources: Beijing municipal government, 26 Mar 2026; Meet in Shanghai (official Shanghai tourism site); WeChat Help Center (read 4 Nov 2026). The Shanghai government guide adds that you should always check the fee shown on the payment screen before confirming.

WeChat Pay’s welcome waiver for new card users

WeChat Pay has been running a promotion that waives the 3% fee for people who link a foreign card for the first time. The details have changed during 2026:

• In March 2026 the Beijing government described it as 60 consecutive days from your first transaction, on daily spending under ¥1,000 (source, 26 Mar 2026).
• On 27 May 2026 Tencent announced 90 consecutive calendar days, on daily spending up to ¥1,000 (Tencent press release).

Promotions can end without much notice, so treat it as a bonus and check the fee line on the payment screen. Practical tip: if you are paying more than ¥200 and you’re inside the waiver window, WeChat Pay may be the cheaper of the two apps.

Splitting big bills?

Asking a shop to split one bill into several ¥200 payments is awkward and many cashiers won’t do it. For big-ticket items, compare the 3% fee with simply paying by foreign card at the terminal: the Shanghai government says acceptance of foreign cards is being expanded in hotels, malls and larger venues, but your own bank’s foreign-transaction fee still applies.

Transaction limits

Different official sources quote limits in different ways, so here is what each says:

The Shanghai figure is the ceiling set by regulators; the app or your bank can set a lower one. Check the limit shown in the app for your own account. Sources: Shanghai government guide, WeChat Help Center (both read 4 Nov 2026).

Already have an Asian e-wallet? You might not need either app

Through Alipay+ and similar cross-border QR gateways, a number of overseas wallets can pay directly at participating merchants in mainland China. The Shanghai government lists AlipayHK, MPay, Kakao Pay, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, HiPay, Changi Pay, Naver Pay, Toss Pay, TrueMoney, GCash, Kaspi and NayaPay, among others (source). Look for the wallet’s logo at the counter and pay with your usual app.

PayPal users from the US: in May 2026 Tencent announced that PayPal users will be able to scan WeChat Pay merchant codes in China, starting with US-based PayPal accounts (Tencent). Check inside your PayPal app whether the feature is live for you before relying on it.

When your card won’t link: troubleshooting

• “Card not supported” / declined: call your bank or open its app and allow online and overseas transactions. Some issuers block the link by default; the Beijing government’s expat guide suggests contacting the issuer or trying another card (Beijing municipal guide).
• No SMS code from your bank: the code comes from your bank, not Alipay or WeChat. Make sure your home SIM is active and roaming, or use your bank’s app approval instead.
• Identity verification failed: retake the passport photo in good light, without glare, and check that your name matches the card exactly (middle names and maiden names are common culprits).
• Payment fails while a VPN is on: many travellers report that Chinese apps behave oddly with a VPN running. Turn it off for the payment and try again.
• Still stuck after landing in Shanghai? One-stop service centres in the international arrival halls of Pudong Airport Terminals 1 and 2 and Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1 help with payment setup, phone service, transport and local apps (Shanghai government).

Pre-departure checklist

• Alipay installed, registered, passport verified, card linked
• WeChat installed, WeChat Pay activated, a different card linked
• Bank told you are travelling (if your bank has a travel-notice feature)
• Home SIM will receive SMS in China (roaming on, or keep it in a dual-SIM slot)
• A card with no foreign-transaction fee, plus a small amount of cash as backup
• Hotel address saved in Chinese characters
• An internet plan for China that you’ve installed and tested at home (an eSIM guide is coming soon)

FAQ

Do I need a Chinese bank account or Chinese phone number? No. Both apps let you register with an overseas number and link an overseas card.

Can I send money to a friend or split a bill with a linked foreign card? No — transfers and red packets are not supported for linked foreign cards on WeChat Pay or Alipay. You can still each pay your own share at the counter.

Is the 3% fee charged on the part above ¥200 or on everything? On everything. Above ¥200, the fee applies to the full transaction amount.

Which is better, Alipay or WeChat Pay? For paying, they are close to identical at the counter. Set up both: Alipay is the more wallet-like app, while WeChat is what hotels and guides will message you on.

Do I still need cash? Carry a small amount as a backup for the rare case where your phone, card or connection fails.

Sources (all read on 4 November 2026)

• Shanghai Municipal People’s Government — How to use mobile payments in Shanghai (published 20 Sep 2026)
• WeChat Help Center — Guide to Add and Use International Cards with Weixin Pay
• Tencent — Three initiatives to make inbound payments easier during APEC 2026 (27 May 2026)
• Beijing Municipal Government — WeChat Pay waives 3 percent fees for international card payments under 200 yuan (26 Mar 2026)
• Meet in Shanghai (official tourism site) — A traveler’s guide to mobile payments in China
• Beijing Municipal Government — Guide to working and living in China: mobile payment (Nov 2024)

Rules, fees and promotions change. If anything here no longer matches what you see in the app, trust the app’s payment screen — and let us know so we can update this guide.