How do I know my bank card is linked to Alipay? →
Open Alipay’s bank-card list and match the card’s last four digits to the card you added.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Paying in China
Cards, wallets and a payment that will not go through.
23 answers
Can I test Alipay before arriving in China? →
Prepare Alipay before departure, but test mainland merchant payment with a small shop purchase after you arrive.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Do I need both Alipay and WeChat Pay in China in 2026? →
You can travel with one working wallet, but prepare both Alipay and WeChat Pay if you can.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Why can I pay shops but not send money to a friend? →
Your foreign card can pay a business through Alipay without being able to send money to a person.
Checked 26 Sept 2026What should I do when Alipay identity verification fails? →
Correct the passport or face-check problem shown by Alipay, then retry that step with the original document.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Why is an app asking me for a Chinese bank card? →
First return to the payment function you actually need: foreign-card shop purchases do not require opening a Chinese bank account.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Alipay payment declined with a linked foreign card: what to do in 2026 →
First check whether the shop received the payment.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Do I scan the shop’s QR code, or do they scan mine? →
If the shop displays a payment QR code, scan it in your wallet.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Can I travel in China using cash instead of Alipay? →
Yes, carry RMB cash as a working payment option, especially for a failed wallet or a flat phone.
Checked 26 Sept 2026I may have paid twice. How do I check? →
Compare the wallet’s transaction records with the merchant’s receipts before paying again.
Checked 26 Sept 2026A private guide wants a WeChat deposit. How should I pay? →
Ask the guide for a merchant checkout and written booking terms before paying a deposit.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Should I use a physical or phone-based Octopus in Hong Kong? →
Choose a physical Octopus if you want a simple card independent of your phone.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Will the payment setup I use in Hong Kong work in mainland China? →
Prepare the mainland payment route separately from the one you use in Hong Kong.
Checked 26 Sept 2026What can I do if I lose access to all my money in China? →
Contact your card issuer to restore access or arrange emergency cash, while securing a safe place to stay and a working phone.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Why will my Alipay metro code not activate when shop payments work? →
Metro-code activation has its own city, identity and payment setup, so a working shop payment does not complete it.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Should I choose RMB or my home currency at an ATM in China? →
Choose RMB/CNY and decline the ATM’s optional currency conversion in the usual case.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Where can I withdraw RMB with an overseas card, and what fees should I compare? →
Use an ATM displaying your card’s network and choose a withdrawal in RMB/CNY.
Checked 26 Sept 2026What service fees apply to foreign-card payments in Alipay and WeChat Pay? →
For the standard foreign-card wallet fee, purchases of RMB 200 or less are fee-free and larger purchases carry 3% on the whole amount.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Can two travellers share one wallet for transport and separate purchases? →
One person can pay a shared restaurant or shop bill through their own wallet, but arrange each traveller’s transport ticket separately.
Checked 26 Sept 2026How do visitors claim a departure tax refund in China? →
Buy eligible unused goods from a designated tax-refund store and obtain the invoice and refund application before leaving it.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Can I use Alipay or WeChat Pay without mobile data at checkout? →
If your wallet can still display its live payment code, ask the cashier to scan it and confirm the result before trying again.
Checked 26 Sept 2026Is tipping expected for drivers, guides and restaurants in China? →
You do not normally need to tip taxi drivers or staff in ordinary mainland Chinese restaurants.
Checked 26 Sept 2026I am home and my China trip refund has not arrived. What should I do? →
Check the original payment account, then ask the seller whether the refund is requested, approved or actually sent.
Checked 1 Oct 2026