WeChat Pay || 2024 Updates AND How to Connect International Cards

Step aside, cash and credit cards.

There’s a new payment juggernaut in town, and it’s already taken China by storm – WeChat Pay.

This year there’s particularly big news for foreigners in China.

WeChat’s parent company and tech-giant Tencent made an important announcement:

Foreign visitors can now link international cards to WeChat Pay.

This is truly a game-changer for tourists, particularly as apps such as PayPal, Google Pay and Apple Pay aren’t used in China and paying with foreign debit or credit cards has previously proved tricky.

Not to mention China is fast becoming a cashless society.

But we’re here to help. In this blog we’ll explain everything you need to know about using WeChat Pay so you can say goodbye to fumbling with cash and say 你好 Nǐhǎo to paying like a local!

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || What is WeChat Pay?

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || Why Use WeChat Pay in China?

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || Setting Up and Linking International Cards

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || How to Use WeChat Pay

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || Limitations and transaction fees

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || FAQs

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || What is WeChat Pay?

Picture this: You’re dining at the best hotpot restaurant in Chengdu, shopping till you drop in central Shanghai, or catching a taxi to the beach in Beihai.

When it’s time to pay, you’re told foreign cards aren’t accepted.

But that doesn’t bother you. You’re a China pro. You’re using WeChat Pay.

With a swipe of your phone, you’ve paid and you’re back off on your China adventure.

So, exactly how did you make the magic happen? It’s actually pretty simple!

WeChat Pay is a mobile payment platform that allows users to seamlessly make cashless transactions using their smartphones.

It’s found on the all-in-one messaging app WeChat (if you’re unfamiliar with WeChat, you might want to check out our Ultimate WeChat Guide first!)

And before you think WeChat Pay is just one of those niche apps that you don’t need to pay attention to, you might be surprised to learn that in 2021, WeChat Pay had more than 900 million users.

WeChat Pay allows users to pay for a wide range of goods and services, both online and offline.

👉 It has become a dominant force in China’s cashless economy, revolutionizing the way people complete financial transactions in their daily lives.

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || Why Use WeChat Pay in China?

As we mentioned above, some poorly-prepared tourists arrive in China only to discover that their cards aren’t accepted, Google and Apple Pay abandoned them this side of the firewall and some shops don’t even accept cash.

So, it’s pretty crucial that you have a reliable form of payment ready to use for when you land in the China.

Given that WeChat is the most popular app in China, our students in previous years often arrived expecting to set up WeChat Pay (or Alipay) in no time, only to find that a Chinese bank account was required, which presented a whole other issue.

However, times have changed and now even if you’re only in China for a few days, weeks or months, you can can now use WeChat Pay too!

BONUS || Find out all you need to know about using Alipay (including how to link international cards) in our 2024 Alipay Guide.

Knowing how to use WeChat pay is becoming increasingly important in almost cashless China.

Luckily, WeChat pay offers a range of payment methods that you can use throughout your stay:

• QR code scanning
• In-app purchases
• WeChat Mini Programs

By activating WeChat Pay, you’ll have access to all sorts of useful features, from Split Bill and Ride Hailing to (for those lucky enough among us!) wealth management.

Now, let’s learn how to set up WeChat Pay on your phone.

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WeChat Pay for Foreigners || Setting Up and Linking International Cards

Once you know how, setting up WeChat Pay is a pretty straightforward process.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it.

Open Wallet

To access the Wallet, you’ll need to first click on the “Me” section, which you’ll find at the bottom right of the WeChat app.

Then, click on “Services” and on this page you’ll find the “Wallet” function, which will take you to your payment options.

Add a Bank Card

In the “Wallet” section, you’ll find the option for “Cards”. Here, you’ll be able to click on “Add a Card”.

Fill in the relevant information, including your bank number and name.

NOTE || Unlike when you’re treating yourself to a little something on Amazon or Shein, here you won’t enter the name on the card. Instead, you need to enter your name as it appears on your bank account.

ANOTHER NOTE || If you’re staying in China long-term for work or study, we’d recommend opening up a Chinese bank account, as whilst these steps work theoretically, in reality some foreigners have reported issues with linking international cards.

Input Personal Information

Here you’ll need a form of ID, most foreigners will use their passport information here.

Other forms of ID are accepted, such as Permanent Resident ID cards, or a Resident Permit for Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan residents.

Then you’ll need to add your phone number, which is important for the final step:

Verification

Once you’ve entered your phone number, you’ll receive a text with a code to complete SMS verification.

During the card binding process, the mobile phone number needed for verification should be capable of receiving SMS verification codes. Importantly, this number does not have to be a mobile phone number from mainland China, but it can also be a foreign number.

Finally, create a 6-digit payment password to ensure the security of your WeChat Pay account.

And then… success! Happy shopping with your new WeChat Pay account!

“But wait! How do I actually pay for something?” we hear you screaming at your computer.

Don’t worry, that’s all in our next section ⬇️

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WeChat Pay for Foreigners || How to Use WeChat Pay

Most transactions in China, including paying for goods in shops, settling the bill in restaurants and even donating money to homeless people on the street, are completed through scanning QR codes.

Quick Pay

Probably the most common form of payment in China is quick pay, which as you may have guessed, is because it’s quick.

Once your WeChat Pay account is set up, all you have to do is return to the “Services” page and click on “Money” at the top left of the screen.

Then you’ll have your QR code ready for the vendor to scan.

Alternatively, on the homepage of WeChat there will be a small + button on the top right. You can click this and then select the “Money” option to access the QR code.

But that’s not all WeChat Pay has to offer. Payments can also be completed in these forms:

• QR Code Payments
• In-App Web-Based Payments
• Native In-App Payments

To keep things simple, we’ll just go through QR Code Payments in this blog. However, on the note of apps, make sure to take a look at our Must Have Apps for China article.

QR Code Payments

This is essentially the same process, but in reverse.

So instead of the merchant scanning your QR code, you scan theirs.

It’s pretty straightforward to do, you simply need to:

1. Click on the + on the WeChat homepage
2. Select “Scan” and scan the QR code
3. Enter the amount you would like to transfer
4. Confirm the transaction with your payment password

See, easy peasy!

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || Limitations and Transaction Fees

Limitations

Whilst it’s great news that foreigners can link international bank cards on WeChat pay and shop til they drop, there are some limitations you need to be aware of.

For instance, foreign cards don’t support sending red envelopes and direct transfers.

There are also some spending limits to bear in mind:

• For single transactions, the cap stands at RMB 6,000 (~US$836)
• The monthly cumulative limit is RMB 50,000 (~US$6,970)
• The annual cumulative limit is RMB 60,000 (~US$8,366).

But hey, for a short term stay in China that’s plenty to fuel your shopping sprees and adventures!

Transaction Fees

It turns out there is such thing as a (transaction) free lunch!

For those smaller purchases below RMB 200 (~US$27), you won’t have to worry about any transaction fees, WeChat Pay’s got you covered.

For those slightly bigger buys above RMB 200, there is a transaction fee of 3%.

Happy Shopping! How has your WeChat Pay experience been? Let us know in the comments!

WeChat Pay for Foreigners || FAQs

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