Payment setup
Set up Alipay with a foreign card
Almost everything in China is paid by QR code. This guide walks you through linking your Visa or Mastercard to Alipay before you arrive.
Download Alipay from your App Store
Open the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). Search for Alipay and install the free app.
Do this while you're still at home — you need unrestricted internet. Once in China, Google Play is blocked.
Search 'Alipay' — it's the blue icon with a white 'A'. The international version works for foreigners. Do NOT download 'Alipay HK' — that's a different app for Hong Kong.
Create an account with your phone number
Open Alipay → tap Sign Up → enter your phone number with country code.
You'll receive a 6-digit SMS code. Enter it to verify your number.
Set a login password — save it somewhere safe.
Use your home country phone number including the country code (e.g. +1 for US, +44 for UK). You'll get an SMS code to verify.
Verify your identity with your passport
Go to: Me → Pay → International Card → Verify Identity
You'll need to:
- Enter your passport number exactly as shown on your passport
- Take a selfie holding your passport open to the photo page
- The app uses facial recognition — good lighting helps
This step occasionally fails on the first try. If it does, close the app, wait 24 hours, and try again on a stable WiFi connection. Don't try more than twice in a row.
Add your foreign Visa or Mastercard
After identity verification, tap Add Card.
Enter your card details exactly as they appear on your card:
- 16-digit card number
- Expiry date (MM/YY)
- CVV (3 digits on back)
- Billing address
Alipay supports Visa and Mastercard. American Express is not supported.
Some banks block international app transactions by default. If your card is declined, call your bank's international support line and ask them to whitelist 'Alipay transactions'. Then try again.
Cards from Revolut, Wise, and N26 tend to work well. If you have multiple cards, try your credit card first — debit cards sometimes fail.
Make a small test payment before you travel
This is the most important step most people skip.
Send ¥1 to a friend who has Alipay, or make a tiny balance top-up. This confirms your card works end-to-end before you're standing at a noodle stall in Shanghai with no backup.
If it fails here, you have time to fix it. At the airport, you don't.
If you don't have anyone to send money to, you can top up your Alipay balance with ¥10. This also confirms the currency conversion works.
Alipay limits for foreign cards