![]() Step 3: Tap on “TourPass”, a blue icon in the shape of a luggage and a credit card. If you missed this in an earlier step, you can always change it under Region in Settings. Step 2: Enter your existing mobile number (you’ll be sent a verification code via SMS), and choose the international version of Alipay. Step 1: Download Alipay on Play Store for Android or App Store for iOS You’ll find its installation and application processes simpler and more intuitive with instructions in English. If you’re new to both Alipay and WeChat Pay apps, my suggestion is to get Alipay. Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up WeChat Pay and Alipay without a China bank account or Credit Card Alipay ( 支付宝)Īlipay (支付宝) rolled out its international version of the application that supports international credit cards in Nov 2019, a move followed by WeChat Pay (微信支付) just a couple of weeks after. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up Alipay and WeChat Pay without a China bank account or credit card. Yes, tourists can now link their international credit cards to these mobile payment apps. Thankfully, both Alipay and WeChat Pay have since opened up the payment function beyond the Chinese market. And to have either of these, you’ll need to be a Chinese citizen or a resident with a valid residential address in China. ![]() To activate the payment function on Alipay or WeChat’s mobile app, you’ll first need to have either a China bank account or a Chinese bank-issued credit card. I’m all for societies moving towards being cashless for convenience and efficiency, but ironically, it’s quite the opposite if you’re a tourist in China. Diners can scan a QR code that leads to the order sheet, and then scan another QR code to settle the bill. Seen in China: A tableful of food with a table full of QR codes for easy payment. While some of the most advanced cities we know - New York, London, Tokyo, Seoul and even Singapore - struggle with integrating cashless payments into their communities, it’s almost incomprehensible how fast China has progressed on this front. Some retailers even stopped accepting cash entirely. Most merchants, especially smaller businesses, don’t accept international credit cards. Here’s how to make life easier on your next trip to China.Īfter not visiting China for more than a decade, my most recent trip there got me stumped - I wasn’t ready for how cashless China has become. Mobile payment apps like WeChat Pay and Alipay are becoming essential.
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