Money & payments

Payments in China for Foreign Travelers

Use Alipay, WeChat Pay, foreign cards, cash and ATMs confidently in China.

Reviewed August 20263 min readHow we review

Mobile payments dominate everyday purchases, but travelers should keep at least one backup method. Set up your primary payment app before departure.

A resilient payment setup

Use a mobile wallet linked to a supported foreign card, carry a second card and keep a modest amount of cash.

Expect verification

Identity verification, bank security checks, transaction limits and merchant acceptance can affect payments.

Official sources

Sources checked 13 August 2026. Reconfirm time-sensitive details before departure.

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