How to Make Payments in China

Traveling in China, payment is an important issue that most of the travelers concern. In China, you can pay through your bank card, phone (install phone apps) and cash. Cash and bank card are simple to understand and operate. You just need to prepare some cash of Chinese yuan or take your bank card with you while traveling in China. Kindly reminder, bank card with the logos of Union Pay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and Discover are accepted in China. This article is a complete guide of payment in China to help you know about the payment in China or help you with your preparations for your China travel.

 

Bank card: Union Pay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and Discover

Alipay: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover

Wechat pay: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and Discover

 

Bank Card

Bank cards are accepted in China with the logos Union Pay, Visa and Mastercard. Please note that Union Pay is accepted in all merchant POS terminals in China mainland, excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. You can pay with your bank card with the logos above at the stores, restaurants and hotels in China. You can also confirm with the cashier at the checkout counter whether your bank card is accepted before payment. And Please note that not all the stores, restaurants and hotels provides the service of payment service of bank cards.



 

Digital Payment

Mobile payment is very popular in China because it is very convenient and quick. You can pay to the stores with your mobile phone, so you’d better keep your mobile phone powerful. If you want to enjoy the mobile payments in China, you can install the APP like Alipay, Wechat and Unionpay on your mobile phone.
 

Alipay

Alipay and Wechat Pay are both the most popular mobile payments methods in China with a large quantity of domestic users. If your bank card is with the logos of Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover, these bank cards can be added on the Alipay APP. To use the Alipay in China, you can look through the following procedures to install and register the Alipay in your mobile phone.



 

1. Search for the Alipay in your app store or on its official website, and download the app.
 

2. Open the Alipay app, and register your account with your phone number. If you have registered, just sign in.
 

3. Add your bank card in your Alipay account. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover cards can be added to the Alipay.
 

You can complete your process of adding bank card by following the tips.
 

How to Pay by Alipay in China

Paying through Alipay in China is very easy. There are 2 methods to pay through Alipay in China.
 

The first way is scanning the QR Code of the merchants, input the number of the fee you need to pay, then confirm your payment by input your password.
 

Another payment method through Alipay is showing your QR Code to the merchant. They will charge you the fee accordingly by scanning your QR Code of your Alipay. When scanned by the merchants, usually you do not need to input your password.

 

Wechat Pay

Wechat is a communicating app in China, which has the function of payment. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club and Discover cards can be added on the Wechat pay. To install a Wechat app on your mobile phone is also very simple to operate. To download a Wechat app on your phone, you need to search for Wechat in the app store, then download. Then it comes to register, you need to open the Wechat app and register with your phone number.



 

How to Add Bank Card on the Wechat APP

1. Find Me, Tap it.
 

2. Find Services on the list of Me.
 

3. Tap the Wallet on the list of Services.
 

4. Tap Wallet to find Add a Card.
 

5. Tap Cards on the list of Add a Card.
 

You can complete the process of adding a card on the Wechat app by following the prompts.
 

How to Pay by Wechat

The operation of Wechat pay is similar to Alipay. You also need your QR Code.
 

1. Scanning the QR Code of the merchants.
 

You can pay by scanning the QR Code of the merchants.
 

Find “+” sign on at the top right corner.
 

Find the Scan icon.
 

Scan the QR Code of the merchants.
 

Input the number of the fee accordingly.
 

Input your password to finish the payment.
 

2. Showing your QR Code and Scanned by the Merchants
 

Find “+” sign on at the top right corner.
 

Find the Money icon, tap it.
 

Show your QR Code to the merchants.
 

Having your QR Code scanned by the merchants and finish the payment.

 

Cash

In China, you can pay in cash. To get the Chinese yuan cash, you can go to the bank in your home country/region. Also, you can exchange Chinese yuan cash in China. To get Chinese yuan cash, you can withdraw Chinese yuan cash at an ATM. You can also exchange Chinese yuan cash at banks, qualified financial institutions or self-service kiosks. Paying in cash in China is also convenient, you just need to confirm the number of fee with the merchants and pay to them and get cash back accordingly. Kindly reminder, please keep your Chinese yuan cash in China while traveling to avoid loss. Compared with keeping cash, mobile payments like Alipay and Wechat Pay are more convenient than paying in cash in China.