Scan the shop's QR
Open Scanin your payment app and scan the merchant's code. Enter the amount if requested. A personal transfer code is different from a merchant payment code; your overseas card may be unavailable for the former.
Alipay for Foreigners in China: WeChat Pay, Cards & Cash
Use Alipay or WeChat Pay to pay shops with your overseas bank card. You can register with an overseas phone number; a Chinese bank account is not required for these card-funded purchases.
Payment guidance checked September 5, 2026.
Quick start: what to prepare before your trip
- 01Alipay or WeChat Pay.
- 02Passport and a phone receiving security codes abroad.
- 03An overseas bank card in your name.
- 04Mobile data and some cash.
Choose and set up Alipay or WeChat Pay
Already use WeChat? You can add payment to that account. Alipay is a separate payment app, so it is another option if you do not use WeChat. Both support overseas cards for shopping in mainland China.
Supported cards include Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club and Discover. Ant Group also lists UnionPay International for Alipay. Support for your particular card still depends on its issuer and the app. Card support sources
Download the apps
Register, verify your identity and link a card
In Alipay, look for Me → Bank Cards. In WeChat, look for Me → Services → Wallet. Menu labels can vary by version.
- 1Register with your phone number, or sign in to an existing account.
- 2Complete the identity checks requested by the app using your passport details.
- 3Add your card and complete your bank's verification. Identity checks may also appear during this step.
You can set this up before your trip. Keep access to the number registered with your bank for verification texts.
Paying by QR code
Show your payment code
Open the app's payment code and let the cashier scan it. Use the live code for paying, not the code for receiving money. The purchase is charged to your selected card.
Can I transfer money to a person with a foreign card?
Not with the overseas card linked for shopping. Alipay’s international-card service excludes personal transfers; Shanghai’s WeChat Pay guidance also excludes transfers and red packets funded by overseas credit cards. Sending money to a friend requires a separately supported transfer method or funding source.
Fees and payment limits
For purchases funded by a linked international card, the standard Alipay and WeChat Pay fee schedule in the Ministry of Commerce guide is:
| Purchase amount | App service fee |
|---|---|
| RMB 200 or less | No service fee |
| Over RMB 200 | 3% of the full purchase amount |
For example, a RMB 300 purchase carries a RMB 9 service fee under this schedule. Your bank's foreign-transaction or currency-conversion charges are separate—even a card with no foreign-transaction fee does not remove the app's charge. The fee shown by the app applies to your particular payment. Official fee guidance
Payment limits: Shanghai's July 2026 guidance lists ceilings of US$5,000 per transaction and US$50,000 per year for linked international cards. Your account or bank may set a lower limit. Official payment limits
If a payment fails
Card cannot be added or verification fails
Linking a card requires your issuer's approval as well as the app's checks. If the details are correct but verification is rejected, ask your bank whether it declined the Alipay or WeChat authorization; app support handles identity-verification issues.
Your bank declines the purchase
Look for an authorization request or international-payment block in your bank app. Switching from Alipay to WeChat with the same declined card may leave the bank block unresolved.
Only this shop or QR fails
If your card works elsewhere, this may be a merchant or QR-code issue. Ask the cashier to scan your payment code if scanning theirs fails, or vice versa. A personal transfer code cannot necessarily accept the same funding card as a merchant payment.
Cards and cash
Linking your card to Alipay or WeChat does not mean a shop can accept that card directly at its terminal. Look for your card network's logo at the checkout.
Keep some cash. You can exchange it for RMB after arrival or withdraw RMB at an ATM displaying your card network. A second card from another bank is an optional backup.
Sources and verification notes
- Official payment guide — Ministry of Commerce, 2025: overseas phone registration, card linking, QR payments and currency exchange.
- Alipay card support and Shanghai's wallet setup guide — supported networks and examples of app menus.
- Alipay terms — sections 2.1–2.2 and 4.6–4.7: identity checks, merchant purchases, transfer restrictions and account limits.
- WeChat Pay terms — Appendix 3: overseas-card accounts, identity verification and restrictions on transfers and balance use.
- Standard fee schedule — Ministry of Commerce, 2024: the RMB 200 threshold and 3% fee on the full amount above it.
- Payment limits, cards and cash — Shanghai government guidance updated July 24, 2026, sourced from the People's Bank of China Shanghai Head Office.
Sources checked September 5, 2026. App menus and account-specific fees or limits may differ from the published guidance.
Related Guides
- Need data, maps, ride-hailing, and local apps? See our Internet & Apps guide.
- Booking hotels and paying deposits? See our Hotel Booking guide.
- Using Alipay to buy train tickets? See our Train Tickets guide.
Continue your China travel check
Next checkWill your phone work when you arrive?Prepare mobile data and essential apps before you depend on them.Back to travel essentialsLast updated: September 5, 2026