The easiest payment setup
Use:
- Alipay (支付宝) as your main mobile-payment option;
- Weixin Pay (微信支付) as a backup;
- an international physical bank card;
- a modest amount of RMB cash.
Overseas cards
Current official guidance lists:
| Current guidance | |
|---|---|
| Single overseas-card mobile-payment transaction | Up to US$5,000 |
| Annual cumulative limit | Up to US$50,000 |
| Transaction of ¥200 or less | Generally no platform service fee |
| Transaction above ¥200 | May incur a 3% platform fee |
These are current official guidance figures, not guaranteed universal limits.
Your issuing bank, account, card network or payment platform may impose different limits.
Cash and cards
RMB cash remains useful for technical failures and small businesses.
International cards are more likely to work at major hotels, larger attractions, international businesses and larger retailers.
ATMs
Current official visitor guidance in some major cities lists withdrawals around ¥3,000 per transaction at participating machines.
Treat that as current guidance rather than a universal nationwide limit.
The practical strategy
mobile payment for everyday spending + one backup card + some cash
is enough for most trips.
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Last verified 2026-10-05. Procedures and limits change — check official sources before you travel.