Payment methods for foreigners

Whether you come to Shanghai for travel, study, work, or business, you will have access to a variety of convenient payment services during your stay in the city.

How to seamlessly pay like a local in China

Here are some valuable tips for expats on how to set up WeChat Pay or Alipay accounts using their overseas credit cards.

How to purchase a metro ticket with foreign bank cards

Shanghai Metro has recently added seven customer service centers at the Hongqiao and Pudong international airports that allow the use of foreign bank cards to purchase tickets for the city's metro and Maglev lines.

Mobile pay limits raised for visitors

China will quintuple the transaction limit for foreigners' mobile payments as the country enhances efforts to address payment challenges faced by international visitors.

Multilingual Alipay to enhance foreigners' e-payment experiences

Alipay, the digital payment arm of Chinese financial technology company Ant Group, is allocating more resources to roll out translation services in 16 languages, to ensure foreigners in China can use mobile payments without any hurdles.

How to use Alipay

Living in or visiting China, you’ll find that Alipay is an essential app, as it is a popular method for paying for things. Here is a guide on how to pay with Alipay and some of its other handy features.

How to convert foreign currencies into RMB

Both banks and international airports have exchange service counters. In China, ATMs are everywhere except for some remote towns and villages.

How to open the UnionPay online payment services

UnionPay cardholders can enjoy safe and convenient mobile payment services, including QR code-based payments and contactless payments (refers to UnionPay Mobile QuickPass service).

Service guide for e-CNY Application

The e-CNY Application is the official service platform issued by the People's Bank of China, the central bank, providing the set-up and management of personal e-wallets and exchange and circulation services.

Foreign exchange services at Bank of China

You can convert foreign currencies into renminbi at the Bank of China's real-time exchange rates within the specified currency range.