Quick answer
- Your home Visa or Mastercard does work in China, just not in the way you're used to. In practice you'll use it in four ways: linked to Alipay or WeChat Pay (the main one), tapped or swiped at bigger merchants, at ATMs to get yuan, and as a backup to cash. This guide covers fees, limits and the gaps. For setting up the wallets themselves, see our Alipay & WeChat Pay guide.
Quick summary
| How | Works with a foreign card? | Key numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Card linked to Alipay / WeChat Pay | Yes, the main way to pay | Fee-free up to ¥200 per payment; 3% above that; up to US$5,000 per payment and US$50,000 per year |
| Card at a shop's POS terminal | Where the network logo is shown | Mostly hotels, airports and big malls |
| ATM withdrawal | At ATMs showing your card's logo | ¥3,000 per withdrawal; your bank sets other limits and fees |
| Cash (RMB) | Always legal tender | Taxis and face-to-face businesses must accept it |
Sources: Shanghai Municipal Government; PBOC Guangxi guide; Bank of China.
1. Link your card to Alipay or WeChat Pay
According to China's central bank (PBOC), Alipay accepts Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club and Discover, and WeChat Pay also accepts American Express (PBOC payment guide). You don't need a Chinese bank account or a +86 phone number, as long as your number can receive SMS codes (Chaoyang District Government).
Fees (as published by the Shanghai government, 2026):
- Payments of ¥200 or less are generally free of the platform service fee.
- Payments over ¥200 may be charged 3% of the whole amount, not just the part above ¥200.
- Always check the payment screen before you confirm. Fees and promotional waivers are shown there (Shanghai).
- On WeChat Pay, if you get a refund, the fee is refunded in proportion (Chaoyang).
Your own bank may also charge foreign-transaction or currency-conversion fees on top. Check with your bank.
Limits: up to US$5,000 per payment and US$50,000 per year for linked foreign cards (Shanghai; PBOC Guangxi). An older Beijing district page lists lower WeChat Pay limits (¥6,000 per payment, ¥50,000 per month, ¥60,000 per year), so check the limit shown in your own app.
What foreign cards can't do on WeChat: red packets and money transfers to friends aren't supported (Chaoyang).
Why the link sometimes fails: your bank has to approve the link, and some banks' systems reject it. If that happens, call your bank or try a different card (PBOC Guangxi).
2. Pay directly with your card
Look for your card network's logo at the cashier. If there isn't one, ask. UnionPay cards work at any merchant with a card terminal (PBOC payment guide). In Shanghai, participating merchants may accept UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club or Discover, and some taxis have card terminals (Shanghai). In Guangxi, the PBOC says foreign-card acceptance mainly covers airports, big hotels, large malls, transport, tourist streets and convention centres (PBOC Guangxi). At small restaurants and street stalls, expect to use QR codes or cash. For paying for rides and food delivery, see DiDi and taxis and ordering food on Meituan/Ele.me.
Before you go: some banks require you to enable cross-border use first (PBOC Guangxi). Tell your bank you're travelling.
3. Withdraw yuan at ATMs
- Use an ATM that shows your card's network logo (PBOC payment guide).
- Banks whose ATMs take foreign cards, according to the PBOC: ICBC, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Bank of Communications (PBOC Guangxi).
- Bank of China ATMs take UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Express cards issued abroad, around the clock. The maximum is ¥3,000 per withdrawal. Your bank sets the daily and annual limits and the fees (BOC).
- ICBC says its ATMs accept foreign cards with the relevant network logos. Its general ATM page lists a ¥2,500 per-withdrawal cap for its own cards. We could not confirm ICBC's exact limit for foreign cards, so expect a lower cap at some machines (check locally) (ICBC).
- Some ATMs may impose extra restrictions (Shanghai).
4. Carry some cash anyway
Cash is still legal tender, and China's central bank says no organisation or person may refuse RMB cash. Taxi drivers and small face-to-face businesses "may support multiple payment methods but should accept cash" (PBOC Announcement 2020 No. 18). Cash is your fallback when your phone dies, a card link fails, or the network is down.
Ways to get cash: ATMs, bank branches showing a currency-exchange sign (bring your passport), licensed exchange counters (common at airports and border crossings), or exchange desks at hotels for foreigners (PBOC Guangxi). You can bring up to ¥20,000 in RMB cash per person per trip into or out of China (same source).
FAQ
Does Visa work in China?
Yes. Use it linked to Alipay or WeChat Pay, directly at merchants showing the Visa logo, or at ATMs showing the logo.
What does Alipay charge for foreign cards?
Payments of ¥200 or less are generally free. Above ¥200, a 3% fee may apply to the full amount. Check the payment screen before you confirm.
How much can I withdraw from a Chinese ATM?
At Bank of China, up to ¥3,000 per withdrawal with a foreign card. Your own bank sets the daily limits and fees.
Do I need cash in China?
You won't need much, but carry some. RMB cash is legal tender, and taxis and face-to-face businesses are required to accept it.
Do I need a Chinese bank account?
No. You can link a foreign card to Alipay or WeChat Pay without a mainland bank account.
Sources
- Shanghai Municipal People's Government — 20260921/c2c94d06a0454c8fa05386b80d0ae865.html
- pbc.gov.cn — 5322427/index.html
- www.gov.cn — 202403/content 6939519.htm
- english.bjchy.gov.cn — overseas bank cards accepted weixin pay and alipay
- boc.cn — 202601/t20260105 25639179.html
- icbc.com.cn — page/721853664213106729.html
- www.gov.cn — 15/content 5569662.htm
Last checked 12 November 2026. Rules and app menus change; if something's outdated, let us know.
Do you need a visa for China?
Pick your passport, entry city and dates. We check the 30-day visa-free list, 240-hour transit, mutual agreements and Hainan rules, using official data verified on 12 November 2026.