← Part of the China money guide
Chinachecked Jul 2026How to pay in China
Short answer: your phone, not your wallet. Here is how to set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with your own card before you go, what cash to carry, and where a physical card still helps.
At a glance
Pay with
Alipay and WeChat Pay
Link
Visa/Mastercard, passport + face scan
No need for
A Chinese bank account
Backup
Some cash and a physical card
With your phone. Alipay and WeChat Pay run daily life in China, and since late 2023 both let foreign visitors link an international Visa or Mastercard with just a passport and a face scan, no Chinese bank account. Set up both apps before you fly, since acceptance varies and one can work where the other fails. Carry some yuan as a backup (shops must accept cash as of February 2026), and bring a physical card mainly for hotels and for pulling yuan at a bank ATM.
The official route
Useful background on local conditions and money in China. App rules change quickly, so check the in-app international section for the current setup steps.
US State Department: China country information(opens in a new tab) we earn nothing
Set up the apps at home
Download Alipay and WeChat Pay before you travel, and in each one add your Visa or Mastercard, then complete passport and face verification. This can take time or hit a review, which is exactly why you do it at home rather than at a metro gate.
Do both. Some merchants take one and not the other, so having both is the difference between paying and being stuck. In 2026 the spending limit for verified foreign users rose to about 35,000 CNY (roughly 5,000 dollars) per transaction, enough for hotels and big purchases.
Cash as a backup
Almost everything is paid by phone, but cash still works, and from February 2026 shops face penalties for refusing it. Pull yuan from a Bank of China or ICBC ATM, and keep small notes, since vendors often cannot break a large bill.
Cash is most useful for tiny vendors, temples, markets and rural areas, and as a fallback if an app has a bad moment.
Where a physical card helps
Bring a foreign Visa or Mastercard for hotels, big retailers and major attractions, where it is generally accepted, and as your ATM card. At small local places it is hit or miss, so do not rely on it there.
One connection point to remember: you need mobile data to pay by QR code, so keep a roaming eSIM topped up. For the whole money picture, see the China money guide.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do Alipay and WeChat Pay work with foreign cards in 2026?
Yes. Both let foreign visitors link an international Visa or Mastercard with a passport and a face scan, no Chinese bank account needed, and in 2026 the per-transaction limit for verified users rose to about 35,000 CNY (roughly 5,000 dollars). Set up both apps before you fly, since verification can take time and one app can be accepted where the other is not.
Do I still need cash in China?
Some, as a backup. The phone covers almost everything, but cash still works and shops must accept it as of February 2026. Carry small yuan notes for tiny vendors, temples, markets and rural areas, pull more from a Bank of China or ICBC ATM, and expect that change for large notes can be scarce.
Can I just use my credit card in China?
Only partly. Physical foreign cards work at international hotels, big retailers and major attractions, but are hit or miss at small local places, so you cannot rely on a card alone. The better approach is to link your card to Alipay or WeChat Pay and pay by QR code, keeping the physical card for hotels and ATMs.
What happens if my payment app gets blocked or fails?
It happens, which is why you set up both Alipay and WeChat Pay and also carry some cash. If one app fails at a merchant, try the other; if both stumble, pay cash. Verification issues usually clear within a day, and having done the setup at home means you are not troubleshooting behind the Great Firewall.
More on China
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Tipping in ChinaChina is not a tipping country. At everyday restaurants and in taxis, no tip is expected, and it can even cause confusion. The exceptions are tour guides and drivers, and high-end hotels. Here is what you actually owe.
- Do US citizens need a visa for China?Short answer: yes, for a normal trip, and you apply in advance. The one exception is a transit rule that turns a stopover into a 10-day visit. Here is how each works.
- Staying connected in ChinaShort answer: sort this before you land, because it affects how you pay too. Here is why a VPN is the wrong plan in 2026, and why a roaming eSIM is the right one.
- Getting around China: Didi and the metroShort answer: Didi for taxis, a QR pass for the metro, and the train between cities. Here is how each works, and the one or two things to watch.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- US State DepartmentChina country information and local conditions
Our own readThe setup steps, limits and acceptance notes are our read from 2026 reporting and traveler experience, not a single official table, and app behavior changes quickly, so confirm the current in-app steps. Checked July 2026.