For mainland China, prepare Alipay or WeChat Pay, bring your physical bank card and keep some renminbi cash. Foreign visitors can link eligible overseas cards without opening a mainland bank account. Hong Kong and Macau have different payment systems. Official payment overview.
Set up the wallet before departure
Download the official app, register a reachable phone number and follow its identity and card-verification prompts. Keep your passport available. Confirm that your number can receive verification SMS; Wi-Fi alone does not provide SMS reception. Complete any card issuer authentication and check the app's accepted card list rather than assuming every Visa, Mastercard or American Express will work. Visitor payment options.
At checkout, use the merchant payment function: scan the merchant's QR code or show your payment code as instructed. Linking a foreign card for purchases does not mean that every transfer or wallet feature is available. Keep a second way to pay if the card or merchant transaction is declined.
Fees and limits to check
Shanghai's current official guidance says linked overseas-card purchases of 200 yuan or less are generally exempt from the platform service fee. Above 200 yuan, a 3% fee may apply to the full amount. Read the actual payment screen for exemptions or promotions. Your issuer may charge additional foreign transaction or currency conversion fees. Fees and account limits.
The published upper limits are $5,000 per transaction and $50,000 annually, but your account's applicable limits can differ. These are ceilings, not guaranteed spending allowances.
Physical cards and cash remain useful
Look for your card network's logo at the checkout and ask if unsure. Direct foreign-card acceptance depends on the merchant and terminal; it is not limited to hotels, and no card works everywhere. Card acceptance.
Withdraw renminbi at an ATM displaying your card network's logo or use an authorized exchange service. Check the machine's fee and limits and your issuer's charges before accepting. Carry an amount suited to your next journeys and meals; there is no universal cash budget. Cash and exchange options.
If a payment fails
Check the amount, merchant payment mode, card status and any issuer authentication request. Try your backup card, wallet or cash, and contact the app or card issuer if necessary. For transit, activate the service for the specific city and confirm eligibility rather than assuming one QR code works on every network.