Foreign-card fees

Last checked 2026-09-28 · Sources

On both WeChat Pay and Alipay, a foreign-card payment of CNY 200 or less has no platform service fee; a single payment above CNY 200 may carry a 3% fee on the full amount, not just the part above 200. Official · checked 2026-09-28

Example: a CNY 300 payment could carry a CNY 9 fee (3% of 300). A CNY 200 payment has no platform fee. Refunds return the fee in proportion to the amount refunded.

The rule in detail

	Alipay Shanghai gov · 09-28	WeChat Pay Tenpay · 09-28
Fee starts above	CNY 200 per payment	CNY 200 per payment
Rate	3%	3%
Charged on	The full amount of the payment	The full amount of the payment

Your bank’s fee: the wallet fee is separate from your bank. The exchange rate comes from your card network and the bank that issued your card, and your card statement shows the final amount in your home currency. Your bank may also charge its own fees; check with your bank. Sources: Alipay user service agreement §4.3 · WeChat Help Center

Limits

State Council / Shanghai Up to US$5,000 per payment and US$50,000 per year for foreign cards on Alipay and WeChat Pay. gov.cn, 2 Mar 2024 · Shanghai government, 21 Sep 2026

WeChat help center CNY 6,500 per payment, CNY 50,000 per month, CNY 65,000 per year. WeChat Help Center

Check the limit shown in the app.

Ways to pay less

In no particular order. These are options, not recommendations; nothing here guarantees a lower cost or a successful payment.

A card with no foreign transaction fee

What you do Use a card whose issuer says it charges no foreign transaction fee.

Trade-off This only removes your bank’s fee. The wallet’s 3% fee on payments above CNY 200 still applies. The exchange rate is still set by the card network and issuer.

Good for Many small payments of CNY 200 or less.

Overseas-issued UnionPay cards

What you do If you already have a UnionPay card issued outside mainland China, you can link it to WeChat Pay or Alipay, or pay with it at card terminals.

Trade-off Any fee offer for these cards may have changed (see Things that change below). Check the fee line in the app.

Good for Travelers who already hold this kind of card.

Withdraw cash at an ATM

What you do Use an ATM showing your card’s network logo (for example Visa or Mastercard) to withdraw yuan (RMB).

Trade-off Usually up to CNY 3,000 per withdrawal. Some ATMs have extra limits, and your bank may set daily or monthly limits. The ATM or your bank may charge fees; check the ATM screen and your bank’s terms.

Good for Small shops, markets, and backup money. Carry some cash.

Pay with your card at the shop’s terminal

What you do Look for your card’s logo at the entrance or cashier. If you see no logo, ask the cashier.

Trade-off No wallet fee, but your bank’s usual fees and exchange rate apply. Official guides say acceptance mostly covers airports, large hotels, large shopping centres and similar key places, so smaller shops may not take cards.

Good for Hotel bills, airports, and big stores.

Staying longer: a local bank account

What you do Apply at a bank branch in person with a valid passport or other valid ID.

Accepted IDs

The People’s Bank of China lists these documents: a valid passport, Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, Hong Kong and Macao Resident Permit, Taiwan Resident Permit, and other valid ID documents required by laws and regulations.

Trade-off You need to go in person. The bank carries out due-diligence checks and decides the account level. Each bank decides, and we don’t say who qualifies.

Things that change

May have changed — check in the app.

WeChat Pay, new users: if you link an international card to WeChat for the first time by 2026-12-31, the 3% fee is waived on up to ¥1,000 per day for 90 days, counted from your first payment after linking (not from the link date). We found no similar official offer for Alipay. Tencent announcement, 27 May 2026
PayPal (US accounts): PayPal says that since 11 Aug 2026, US PayPal users can pay at Weixin Pay merchants in China using the PayPal app, by scanning the merchant’s QR code or showing a PayPal QR code where supported. Tencent says other markets will follow in phases. Check the PayPal app. PayPal, 11 Aug 2026
UnionPay announced zero fees during a promotional period (Nov 2024); we couldn't confirm it still applies. UnionPay International, 6 Nov 2024

FAQ

Do Alipay and WeChat Pay charge a fee on foreign cards?

On both, a single foreign-card payment of CNY 200 or less has no platform fee. Above CNY 200, a 3% fee may apply to the full amount, and the confirmation screen shows it before you pay. Sources: Tenpay notice (15 Jan 2026) and Shanghai government guide (21 Sep 2026). Checked 2026-09-28.

Is my bank’s foreign-transaction fee included?

No. The wallet fee is separate from your bank. Your card network and the bank that issued your card set the exchange rate, and your bank may charge its own fees. Your card statement shows the final amount; check your bank’s terms.

How can I pay less?

Options include: a card with no foreign transaction fee (this removes only your bank’s fee, not the wallet’s 3%); an overseas-issued UnionPay card (zero fee announced for a promotion period, end date not given); cash from an ATM (usually up to CNY 3,000 per withdrawal, fees may apply); paying by card at the shop’s terminal where your card’s logo shows; or, for longer stays, a local bank account. Nothing here guarantees a lower cost.

Before you pay

Check the confirmation screen before you pay. If a payment doesn’t go through, see When a payment fails. Card and cash basics: Cards and cash.

Fees can change — check the confirmation screen before you pay.

Last checked 2026-09-28