Chinatodo
Welcome to China! Now, you have a number of payment options at your finger tips while in China, ranging from mobile payments to bank cards and cash. Please follow this guide to find out more.
Table of Contents
Bank Card
- Bank cards issued in your home country/region can be accepted if logos of UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard and other payment organizations are displayed at the checkout counter (see picture below).
- If not, ask the cashier whether your bank card can be accepted.
- UnionPay cards are accepted by all merchant POS terminals in China's mainland.
We accept:
UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club, Discover
Mobile Payment
You can enjoy convenient payments with just a mobile phone. Payment services such as Alipay, WeixinPay and UnionPay are available.
For better payment experience, no IDs are required for transactions under a certain amount.
Give it a go!
Please watch videos for more details: www.pcac.org.cn
Alipay
(1) Search for Alipay in the app store or on its official website, and download the app.
(2) Open the app, and register with your phone number or just sign in if you have already registered.
(3) Add bank cards as shown below.
Note
Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover cards can all be added to Alipay.
Tap "Add Now" and follow on-page prompts to complete the process.
(4) Pay by scanning QR code.
You can pay by scanning a merchant's QR code (method 1)
or by having a merchant scan yours (method 2).
Method 1: Tap "Scan", and scan the merchant-presented QR code.
Method 2: Tap "Pay/Receive", and present your QR code to the merchant.
Follow the instructions in the app to complete payment process.
WechatPay
(1) Search for WeChat in the app store, and download it.
(2) Open the WeChat app, and register with your phone number or just sign in if you have already registered.
(3) Add bank cards as shown below.
Note
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover cards can all be added to Weixin Pay.
Tap "Add a card" and follow on-page prompts to complete the process.
(4) Pay by scanning QR code. You can pay by scanning a merchant's QR code (method 1) or by having a merchant scan yours (method 2).
Method 1：Tap the "+" sign at the upper right corner and then the "Scan" icon, and scan the merchant-presented QR code.
Method 2：Tap the "+" sign at the upper right corner and then the "Money" icon, and present your QR code to the merchant.
Follow the instructions in the app to complete payment process.
UnionPay
(1) Download the UnionPay app in the app store or from its official website.
(2) Register with your phone number and enable the payment function.
(3) Add bank cards as shown below.
✱It only supports linking UnionPay cards issued in certain places such as Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR.
Tap "Add Now" and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
(4) Pay by scanning QR code.
You can pay by scanning a merchant's QR code (method1) or by having a merchant scan yours (method2).
Method1：Tap"Scan",and scan the merchant-presented QR code.
Method2：Tap"Pay/Collect",and present your QR code to the merchant.
Follow the instructions in the app to complete payment process.
Pay with a Tour Card
The Tour Card is a prepaid card which you can apply for and top up in the Union Pay App to make everyday purchases, online or offline.
Tips
Please scan the QR code that carries the logo of the payment service provider of your choice when making payments. For example, use the Alipay app to scan the QR code with the Alpine.
Some international e-wallets are accepted by merchants in China
Easy payment with your e-wallet
You can directly pay with e-wallets below without downloading other apps.
Cash
You can also pay in cash.
If you need cash, you can withdraw RMB cash with your bank card at an ATM with logos of the corresponding bank card organizations. You can also directly exchange at bank outlets with currency exchange signs, outlets of qualified financial institutions, or self-service kiosks. Please consult the staff for currencies available.
Bank Account
You can open a bank account with your passport or other valid IDs at any nearby bank outlet, such as the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), the Bank of China (BOC), the China Construction Bank (CCB), and the Bank of Communications (BOCOM).
Please consult the staff at the bank outlet or visit their official websites for more details.
With the account, you can enjoy a variety of financial services (such as deposit and withdrawal of both RMB and foreign currencies, foreign currency purchase and sale, domestic transfer and cross-border remittance, foreign currency exchange, and making payments).
E-CNY
You can also make payments in e-CNY if you are interested in e-CNY.
Download the "e-CNY" app in the app store. Android users can also scan the QR code below to download. Then, pay by following the instructions in the app.
✱TIPS: E-CNY app registration service is available to users in the following pilot areas: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Dalian, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang (Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Huzhou, Shaaking and Jinhua), Fujian (Fuzhou and Xiamen), Shandong (Ji'nan and Qingdao), Changsha, Guangdong, Guangxi (Nanning and Fangchenggang), Hainan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan (Kunming and Xishuangbanna) and Xi'an.
