Alipay, the eWallet mobile app that’s a hit among loacals, it not only supports Chinese bank account, is now also open to foreign visitors.
Alipay payments supports international credit cards; you can link your alipay account to your foreign credit or bank card without real-name verification and a Chinese phone number.
It also offers a ‘tour card’ program that gives foreigners access to the app for 90 days (warning: many users cannot receive verification code to register tour card by the phone number they provide, if you come across the same situation, ignore ‘tour card’ section).
This article is your one-stop guide to understanding how you can utilize this breakthrough, I personally tested Alipay mobile payment on 3/17/2024, and it worked perfectly!
Once you set things up, Alipay can be your financial companion during your stay in China, making transactions as easy as a tap on your phone.
Alipay for Foreigners: Binding International Credit/Debit Card
- Download Alipay from the app or google store, then register with your mobile number. Of course, you can also register using your email and Apple account.
- After signing up Alipay, open ‘Pay/Receive’, you will see your payment QR code; click default payment method, scroll down to the bottom and click ‘Add Bank’ Card
- Bind a bank card in Alipay, which support international bank cards issued by all major international card networks:
- You can use any supported debit/credit card above. But here, I use a Revolut virtual debit card for security reasons when I travel overseas. It is an efficient and safe way to top up money from your local debit cards. Moreover, it offers an additional layer of security for online transactions, especially in foreign countries. Here is the verification in Alipay using Revolut virtual debit card:
Alipay for Foreigners: How to Pay for Things
Two ways to make payment using Alipay account: if you see payment tools as in the left circle, the merchants will scan your QR code; if you see the vendor’s QR code as in the right circle, you scan the merchant’s QR code: 
The merchant scans you:
- Open ‘Pay/Collect’ tab on top of Alipay account:
- Select your preferred mobile payment method (the card you just linked in the above section)
- Put your QR code above the scanning tool
- Waiting for about 2 seconds…. hooray, payment successful and it is in Chinese yuan!
- Revolut shows all the payment activities instantly:
You scan the merchant:
- Open your Alipay account and click ‘Scan’
- Wait for 3 seconds for processing
- Select your credit or debit card
- Payment successful, Revolut sent me notification instantly:
At the same time, you can also use it to take public transportation such as subways and buses.
Alternative Payment Method for Foreigners in Shanghai
Alternatives such as physical credit card, ATMs, WeChat payment can be used.
- Physical credit card: For most big vendors support visa/master card in China, but most small vendors do not support credit card. Revolut provide physical credit card with following outstanding features specifically for global transactions:
- Robust security features for funds and personal information protection
- Multi-currency supports where I can spend money abroad in the local currency without incurring high foreign transaction fees
- Global Spending and Withdrawal: The Revolut physical card can be used worldwide, wherever Visa or Mastercard (depending on the card issuer for Revolut in your region) is accepted. Additionally, you can use the card to withdraw money from ATMs around the globe, often with favorable exchange rates and low fees.
- Withdraw Cash in Shanghai: To ensure you have access to cash during your stay in Shanghai, ATMs are a reliable option. Most major ATMs, such as ICBC, CBC, and BOC, accept foreign bank cards.
- Similar to Alipay, WeChat Pay for foreigners also requires passport verification for foreigners to use their payment services. However, signing up WeChat and binding international cards may be challenging.
They might not quite replicate the Alipay experience, but they certainly help bridge the gap for foreigners dealing with Chinese transactions. As we embrace an increasingly interconnected world, who knows? Maybe sometime soon, we’ll enjoy a truly global payment solution that cuts across borders and nationalities.
Alipay for Foreigners: Tourcard (If Your Phone Number Can Receive Verification Code)
Warning: many overseas travelers mention that they cannot receive verification code using their local mobile phone number, so tourcard may not be applicable nowadays, or it is not applicable for some countries, if you have any updates about tourcard, please keep us updated (mailto: sophiezhang@shanghaispecials.com) and we will update in here to benefit more people.
Alipay, is accessible to foreigners through a 90-day ‘tour card’ program or by linking a foreign credit/bank card, marking a significant shift as previously only Chinese bank accounts could be linked to the app (tourcard is the newest version of retired ‘tourpass’ program).
- Download Alipay and Register: First, download Alipay and register an account.
- Search for TourCard: In the Alipay app, search for “TourCard” and enter the interface.
- Select ‘Use Now’ and Enter Basic Information: Once in the TourCard interface, choose ‘Use now’ and start filling in your basic information.
- Identity Verification Process: Begin the identity verification process, which includes uploading your passport (or similar identity document) and a photo verification.
- Enter Detailed Personal Information: This includes filling in tax residency information and selecting your occupation. If you can’t find your exact occupation, you can choose any relevant one.
- Enter English Address and Email (Optional)
- Agree to Terms and Conditions: Check all the boxes for the usage instructions, personal information usage, and other declarations.
- Review and Confirm Personal Data Authorization: Click on the blue link at the bottom to read the TourCard personal data authorization statement and confirm after reading.
- Submit the Application: After completing the above steps, submit your application for the TourCard.
- Set Up Payment Password: Once your application is submitted, you’ll need to set up a payment password.
- View Your Card Number: To view your complete TourCard number for binding Alipay with your TourCard
- Wait, you still can’t pay until connect Tourcard with Alipay:
- Now, you can pay by Alipay via your tour card:
This feature provides access to a 90-day pass that offers foreigners the same Alipay convenience experienced by the locals.
Alipay for Foreigners in Asia: Alipay+
Alipay is expanding its network to include 10 key e-wallets throughout Asia to facilitate travel and spending for foreigners in China, under the “Alipay+” cross-border payments program. This expansion is set to ease consumer accessibility to East and Southeast Asian tourists.
With this expansion, accessing and using their money while traveling in China will become a piece of cake. Here are a complete comparisons between Alipay and Alipay+:
- Target Audience and Scope:
- Alipay: Primarily targets users in China, offering a comprehensive range of services including mobile payments, online shopping, and financial services.
- Alipay+: Targets a global audience, focusing on connecting merchants and consumers across different countries and regions. It’s designed to help merchants outside of China accept payments from various mobile payment methods used by Chinese and other Asian consumers.
- Services Offered:
- Alipay: Provides a digital wallet service, online shopping payment management, bill payments, and various financial services like wealth management, loans, and insurance.
- Alipay+: Offers cross-border payment solutions, allowing merchants to accept payments from various mobile payment platforms like Alipay, WeChat Pay, GCash (Philippines), KakaoPay (South Korea), and more. It’s more about facilitating international transactions.
- Functionality:
- Alipay: Functions as a standalone app and platform offering a wide range of digital financial services.
- Alipay+: Acts more as a bridge or aggregator, enabling merchants to access multiple payment methods through a single integration. It simplifies the process for merchants to accept payments from different mobile wallets and payment systems.
- Market Focus:
- Alipay: Concentrates on the Chinese market, with features and services tailored to Chinese consumers.
- Alipay+: Focuses on expanding the reach of Chinese payment methods to Asian markets, allowing Asian merchants to tap into the vast user base of these payment systems.
- Merchant Adoption:
- Alipay: Used by merchants primarily within China or those targeting Chinese consumers directly.
- Alipay+: Encourages adoption by international merchants, offering them a way to access customers from various Asian countries who use different mobile payment apps.
Bottom Line
Please note that this information is based on the latest update from the website as of March 17, 2024, and the process may vary slightly depending on your location and the specific requirements at the time of your application.
