Paying for things in China as a foreigner: Alipay, WeChat Pay, and Wise

Cash is out, your phone is in

For years the warning to visitors was "bring cash, foreign cards do not work here". That flipped. Since 2023 you can bind an international card straight to Alipay or WeChat Pay, and China now runs on QR-code payments so completely that cash, while legally protected, is a fallback you will rarely reach for.

The 2023 unlock

WeChat Pay opened overseas-card binding in July 2023, and Alipay did the same earlier that year, both partnering with Visa, Mastercard, and others. You no longer need a Chinese bank account for a short stay. Download either app, add your home Visa or Mastercard, complete the identity step, and you can pay by QR almost everywhere, from the metro to a street-food stall.

The numbers that actually matter

• Caps. After the central bank raised the limits in 2024, foreign-card mobile payments run up to about US$5,000 per single transaction and roughly US$50,000 per year. That is far more headroom than a typical stay needs. Some older guides still quote lower yuan-denominated figures from the 2023 launch, so trust the newer, higher limits.
• Fees. Transactions under about 200 yuan carry no service fee. At or above roughly 200 yuan, expect a fee near 3 percent. In practice, small daily spending is effectively free, and only larger single payments cost you.
• Tour Pass is now optional. Alipay's prepaid "Tour Pass" mini-program used to be the workaround for visitors. With direct card binding working, most travelers can skip it, though it still exists if binding gives you trouble.

Cash and physical cards, the honest state

Cash is making a small comeback by law: as of early 2026, businesses that refuse yuan cash can face penalties, a rule written partly with foreign visitors in mind. Carry a modest amount for the rare vendor or the day your phone dies. Physical foreign Visa and Mastercard swipes, though, remain hit or miss, usually only accepted at hotels and larger tourist sites, because domestic terminals run on UnionPay. Bank of China ATMs are the most reliable for pulling cash on a foreign card.

Where Wise fits

A multi-currency card like Wise is a clean way to fund all this without bleeding money on exchange rates. It converts at the mid-market rate at the point of sale, and ATM withdrawals are free up to a monthly cap, then a small percentage above it. Wise runs on Visa and Mastercard rails rather than UnionPay, so the same POS-acceptance caveat applies, but it pairs well with Alipay or WeChat: fund the app from a card that gives you a fair rate, then pay by QR everywhere else.

Bottom line

Bind a card to Alipay or WeChat before or on arrival, keep a little cash for emergencies, and use a fair-FX card like Wise as the funding source. That combination covers daily life in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Beijing without a Chinese bank account.

One thing that is not solved by payments: staying online. Read working remotely from China before you go.