How to Use Alipay in China as a Foreign Tourist 2026
Alipay (支付宝) is China’s second major mobile payment platform — and since 2023, it accepts foreign Visa, Mastercard and Amex cards through its “Alipay for Foreigners” feature. It works in most of the same places as WeChat Pay: restaurants, shops, taxis, tourist attractions, transport. Setting up Alipay as a backup to WeChat Pay is strongly recommended — occasionally one will work where the other doesn’t. Setup takes about 10 minutes and should be done before you arrive in China.
Table of Contents
Can foreigners use Alipay in China?
Yes — Alipay launched its “Alipay for Foreigners” (境外人士版支付宝) feature in 2023, allowing international visitors to link foreign Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards. You don’t need a Chinese bank account or Chinese phone number.
The feature works through the main Alipay app — there’s no separate app for foreigners. When you link a foreign card, you’re automatically placed in the “overseas user” mode which handles currency conversion and foreign card processing.
Monthly spending limit: Foreign card accounts have a monthly spending limit of approximately ¥6,000 (adjustable). For most tourist trips, this is sufficient.
Currency conversion: Transactions are charged in Chinese Yuan and converted to your card’s currency at your bank’s standard exchange rate. There may be a foreign transaction fee depending on your card issuer.
How do I set up Alipay as a foreign tourist?
Step 1 — Download Alipay Available on iOS App Store and Google Play.
Step 2 — Open the app and select “Overseas” When you first open Alipay, it may ask if you’re a mainland China user or overseas user. Select overseas/international. If it defaults to mainland China mode, go to Settings and change your region.
Step 3 — Register with your phone number Use your home country mobile number. Enter the SMS verification code sent to your phone.
Step 4 — Add your foreign card Go to: Me → Bank Cards → Add Card. Enter your Visa, Mastercard or Amex details — card number, expiry, CVV, and billing name/address.
Step 5 — Complete verification Your bank may send a one-time password for security confirmation. Enter it in Alipay.
Step 6 — Set a payment PIN Alipay requires a 6-digit payment code. Set one you’ll remember.
Step 7 — Test with a small transaction If possible, make a small test payment before relying on it for larger amounts.
WeChat Pay vs Alipay — which should I use?
The honest answer: set up both, use WeChat Pay as your primary, and keep Alipay as backup.
Use WeChat Pay as primary because:
- WeChat is also your messaging app — you’ll have it open anyway
- Slightly more universally accepted at small local vendors
- Better integration with Didi (taxi app)
- QR code payment is marginally faster in practice
Alipay is useful as backup because:
- Some merchants have Alipay-only terminals
- Alipay has stronger integration with some travel booking (hotels, scenic spots)
- If WeChat Pay has a technical issue, Alipay works independently
- Some airport services and vending machines are Alipay-only
The verdict: Both are free to set up and use the same foreign bank card. There’s no downside to having both. Spend 10 minutes setting up Alipay as backup — it’s saved many tourists when their primary payment failed.
Can tourists use Alipay in China?
Yes — since 2023, foreign nationals can link Visa, Mastercard and Amex cards to Alipay using the overseas/international user feature. No Chinese bank account required. There is a monthly spending limit of approximately ¥6,000 for new foreign card accounts.
Is Alipay or WeChat Pay better for tourists?
Both are excellent. Set up WeChat Pay as your primary (since you’ll use WeChat for messaging anyway) and Alipay as backup. Having both ensures you’re covered in the rare cases where one is not accepted.
Do I need both WeChat Pay and Alipay?
Not strictly necessary — most tourists manage with just WeChat Pay. But Alipay takes only 10 minutes to set up and provides a useful backup. If your primary payment fails at a restaurant or attraction, having Alipay as backup saves significant stress.