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Can I use Visa or Mastercard in China?

Mostly not by swiping. International hotels and some big stores take foreign cards, but small restaurants, street food, taxis and many ticket counters expect a QR-code payment. The practical fix is to link your Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay before you leave home, and carry some cash as a backup.

Before you fly

  1. Install Alipay (and WeChat if you want a second option) while you still have your home phone number and internet.
  2. Add your Visa or Mastercard in the app. You will be asked for passport details to verify your identity.
  3. Tell your bank you are travelling, so the first payments in China are not blocked as fraud.
  4. Bring a second card from a different bank. Some cards simply fail to link.

Once you are there

  1. To pay, either scan the shop's QR code and type the amount, or show your own payment code for the cashier to scan.
  2. Keep a few hundred yuan in cash for the rare place where the app fails.
  3. Small payments are usually free of extra fees; larger single payments on a foreign card have been reported to carry a fee of around 3%. Check the fee shown in the app before confirming.

What goes wrong

Planning to "just use my Visa". The noodle shop has no card machine. You leave hungry or borrow a stranger's phone.
Setting up the app after landing. Verification can need a text message to your home number, which may not arrive abroad.
Carrying only large notes. Small vendors often cannot make change.

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Quick questions

Is cash still accepted in China?

Yes, cash is legal tender and shops are supposed to accept it, but small vendors often lack change, so do not rely on it alone.

Do I need a Chinese bank account for Alipay?

No. Visitors can link a foreign Visa or Mastercard after passport verification.

Is there a spending limit?

Foreign-card payments have had per-transaction limits in the low thousands of yuan. For a big purchase, ask the merchant to split the payment or use a hotel card terminal.

More answers

How to set up Alipay or WeChat Pay as a foreignerDoes Google Maps work in China? Internet, eSIM and blocked appsHow to buy train tickets in China as a foreignerTerracotta Army tickets: how to book and how to get thereXi'an tourist traps: 7 things first-timers fall for

Last reviewed 2026-11. Payment, ticketing and entry rules in China change often; confirm details with the official app or site before you travel. This page is general travel information, not professional advice.