How to Pay in China: Alipay, WeChat, Yuan and Currency Exchange

In China people pay with their phones, and nobody accepts Russian cards — including Alipay and WeChat Pay. What to set up at home, what the limits are and what to do without a foreign card.

China has gone further into cashless payment than any other country: people pay by phone at the market, in the subway and at a street noodle vendor. The problem is that neither of the two main wallets will accept a Russian card. We work out how a tourist from Russia can pay in China, what to set up before the flight, how to exchange currency and what to do if you have no foreign card — so that you don’t end up with a useless smartphone.

How to pay in China: a short scheme for a tourist

The main point: there is no Russian card in this scheme at all. So before the trip you need one of four options — a foreign card, a Rosselkhozbank UnionPay, a wallet top-up or a cash reserve. Below is how to choose.

How QR payment works

There are two modes in China. In the first, you show the code from the app (the “Pay” section) and the seller scans it with a checkout scanner. In the second, you scan the seller’s QR with the camera in the app and enter the amount. The second is found in cafés, markets and with street vendors. Both modes work the same in Alipay and WeChat Pay, and the seller usually accepts both wallets. Payments are confirmed with a fingerprint, your face or a code.

A practical rule: keep your phone charged and have a backup way to pay. If the network is unavailable, the payment will not go through; set up connectivity in advance — see internet in China for tourists.

What currency is used in China

China’s official currency is the yuan (renminbi, CNY, symbol ¥). Cash yuan are still needed, but most payments in the country go through two mobile wallets — Alipay and WeChat Pay — rather than directly by card or cash.

Why it is hard in China without a wallet

Alipay and WeChat Pay are not a “convenient alternative” but the main way to pay. People pay with them everywhere: in the supermarket, in the subway, for a taxi, for water from a vending machine. A foreign bank card often simply cannot be accepted in small establishments — there is no terminal.

Cash yuan remain legal tender, and by law they must be accepted. In practice the seller may have no change for a large note, and in some chain coffee shops the cashier will be at a loss. Cash is insurance, not the main tool.

What cannot be linked to a wallet

• Mir — not accepted either in China or in the wallets.
• Visa and Mastercard from Russian banks — disconnected from the international network.
• UnionPay issued in Russia — Alipay flatly rejects it. This is counterintuitive: a card of the Chinese payment system, but issued by a Russian bank, is not accepted by the wallet.

An important clarification. The inability to link a card does not mean the inability to use the wallet. An Alipay balance is topped up by a transfer from Sber, VTB, T-Bank or MTS, and WeChat through the Nihao China app. And separately: the Rosselkhozbank UnionPay card works in China directly, without any wallets — it is accepted at 80–90% of points.

What works

You can link a foreign Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay. The cards that behave most reliably are those issued in Kazakhstan, the UAE and non-sanctioned banks in Belarus — there are almost no problems with transaction confirmation.

Limits for foreigners

For a tourist the annual limit is out of reach, but the single-transaction limit can be an unpleasant surprise when paying for a hotel or a plane ticket. Split large purchases or pay with the card directly.

What to do if you have no foreign card

Four working scenarios, in order of increasing cost:

1. A Rosselkhozbank UnionPay card + the exchange. The cheapest route: yuan are bought at the exchange rate with a 0.355% fee. It takes 2–3 business days and the issue of a card. The breakdown is in the article yuan at the exchange rate.
2. Cash yuan. Exchange rubles for yuan in Russia in advance: the spread is 5–10%. In China the ruble is exchanged poorly and not everywhere.
3. A transfer to Alipay from a Russian bank. It works from Sber, VTB, T-Bank and MTS, but the overpayment reaches 8% and crediting takes up to three days. There is a risk of the account being blocked. Details: how to top up Alipay and WeChat from Russia.
4. Intermediary services. A 10–15% fee. They work fast, but the market is gray — check the reputation.

A separate option is Nihao China: a UnionPay app that tops up WeChat without a fee. But the limit is 500 ¥ per day, and according to reviews, the scheme does not work for everyone. Treat it as a bonus, not a foundation.

Currency exchange in China: where and how to exchange

Rubles are practically not exchanged in China, so you have to secure yuan in advance. The main routes:

• Cash yuan from Russia — convenient, but the spread is noticeable; take a small amount “just in case”.
• An ATM in China — works with a foreign Visa/Mastercard (and Rosselkhozbank UnionPay); Russian cards have no access.
• Exchanging dollars or euros at a bank branch (Bank of China and others) with a passport — there are queues and formalities, but the rate is fair.
• Money changers and the “black” rate — not recommended: the risk of counterfeits and fraud.

All schemes with figures, restrictions and the order of actions are in a separate article, currency exchange in China: yuan from Russia, ATMs and Alipay. How to top up wallets is in the piece Alipay and WeChat from Russia.

Does a foreigner need cash and how to handle it

Cash yuan must be accepted by law, but in practice the cashier in a modern establishment may be at a loss. Keep small notes: small establishments often have no change for a large one. Taking cash out of China is limited by a customs limit, covered in the article tax-free in China. If you receive a tax refund, it is easier to take it to a wallet.

Paying in hotels and restaurants: what to ask

• Hotel. At check-in they may ask for a deposit. Sometimes it is blocked on a foreign card, sometimes accepted in cash or through a wallet. Clarify when booking.
• Restaurant. Most establishments have a QR code on the table; in large chains payment is in the app (sometimes via the venue’s mini-program).
• Receipt (fapiao). Not required for personal purchases, but it may be needed for a tax refund — see tax-free in China.

Alipay and WeChat for a foreigner: the setup order

1. Install the app at home. It is better to install Alipay and WeChat before the flight: in China app stores and confirmation SMS can let you down.
2. Register with an international number. The confirmation code will come to your number; make sure SMS arrive in roaming or on an eSIM.
3. Complete passport verification. Without it the wallet works with reduced limits or does not allow payments at all.
4. Link a foreign card or top up the balance. Remember: Russian cards cannot be linked, so you need one of the routes from the section above.
5. Make a test payment. Best of all, pay for a small purchase from an acquaintance or in an online service while you are still at home.
6. Note down a backup method. Cash yuan and a second card should be at hand.

Both wallets have Russian-language instructions and an English mode. How to set up WeChat Pay we covered separately: WeChat Pay: setup, Russification and top-up.

Alipay or WeChat: a comparison for a tourist

The practical conclusion: install both. Alipay is more convenient for payment and transport, WeChat for communicating with guides, hotels and drivers, and also as a backup wallet.

Paying for museum and attraction tickets

Most popular places (museums, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, parks) require booking a ticket in advance for a specific date — often through a mini-program in WeChat or Alipay — and a passport is needed for entry. Tickets can be free, but registration is mandatory. Think this through in advance, especially in high season. In the list of useful apps — what to install before the flight.

Typical payment problems and what to do

How much cash to bring

It depends on the length of the trip and the city. For a short trip to a metropolis a small amount of cash is enough in case the wallet fails. For trips to the provinces — temples, mountain villages, rural markets — cash is needed more often. A practical scheme: in large cities rely on the wallet, and keep cash as insurance for a couple of days of expenses. A general trip calculation is in the article how much money to take to China.

Beware: fraud and payment security

• Swapped QR codes. Scan only the code at the checkout or on an establishment’s counter; stickers on street poles and machines are often fake.
• Strangers’ requests to “scan a code”. Strangers who ask you to scan a QR “for a discount” or “for a free tour” often make a payment at your expense.
• Password and biometrics. Don’t hand your phone to strangers, even “to help with payment”.
• Public chargers. It is better to use your own power bank than unfamiliar cables.

The other risks of the trip are collected in the article safety in China for tourists, and for careful preparation in the guide to apps.

Hong Kong and Macao: different money

If your route includes Hong Kong or Macao, remember: they have their own currencies — the Hong Kong dollar and the pataca. Some establishments accept yuan, but at an unfavorable rate, and Alipay and WeChat wallets are not supported everywhere. Details on the region’s status are in the article Is Macao China or not.

Set everything up at home

This is the main practical advice of the article. In China you will run into the “Great Firewall”: Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and many familiar services are unavailable. Downloading and activating an app on the spot will be harder, and confirmation SMS may not arrive.

• Install Alipay and/or WeChat before the flight.
• Complete passport verification in advance — it takes time.
• Link the card and make a test payment while you are still at home.
• Download offline maps and a translator.

Frequently asked questions

Alipay or WeChat Pay — which to choose?

For a tourist Alipay is usually friendlier: the interface is better localized, with built-in transit cards and a menu translator. WeChat Pay is convenient if you use WeChat for communication anyway. Ideally install both: if one fails, the other will help out.

Can I withdraw yuan at an ATM?

With a foreign Visa/Mastercard — yes, at the ATMs of large banks (Bank of China, ICBC). With a Russian card — no.

How can a tourist from Russia pay in China?

Through Alipay or WeChat Pay with a topped-up balance, a Rosselkhozbank UnionPay card, a foreign Visa/Mastercard or cash. Details are above and in the comparison of methods.

Do Apple Pay and Google Pay work in China?

Linked foreign cards work at a number of large outlets, but in mass retail the main method is the Alipay and WeChat QR codes. Don’t count on it as the only way.

Are Visa and Mastercard cards accepted?

In hotels, large stores and shopping centers — more often yes. In small establishments there is no terminal, and without a QR code you won’t be able to pay.

Can I pay in rubles or dollars?

No. Payments are in yuan. The exception is the Hong Kong and Macao area, where other money is used (the Hong Kong dollar and the pataca).

How do I exchange currency in China?

The best option is to withdraw yuan at an ATM with a foreign card or exchange currency at a bank with a passport. Rubles are exchanged poorly. The breakdown is in the article currency exchange in China.

Can I pay for the subway and taxis without a Chinese number?

Yes, through Alipay or WeChat; a Chinese number is not required if the wallet is set up at home.

Is cash needed at all?

Keep a small amount. It will help out with an elderly taxi driver, in a temple, at a small market and when your phone has died.

What about tipping?

In mainland China tipping is not customary and is not expected in most establishments. The exception is high-end hotels and guides.

Do I need a visa for China?

No, if the trip is up to 30 days: a visa-free regime applies to Russians. Details and nuances are in the article visa for China.

What’s next

A breakdown of specific schemes with figures is in the comparison of all payment methods and fees: from 0.355% on the exchange to 15% with intermediaries. If you want to get straight to the point — the Rosselkhozbank UnionPay card and the WeChat Pay setup.

Payment is set up — you can plan: ready-made routes in China, when it is best to go and what is important to know about behavior and etiquette.

Sources

• How to pay in China: WeChat Pay, Alipay, cards and cash
• The 200,000 yuan limit in Alipay and WeChat
• Guide: how a foreigner pays in China

Current as of October 2026. The rules for linking cards and wallet limits change. Check the current terms in the app before your trip.