WeChat Pay for Foreigners: Setup, Fees and Limits

The short version

You can use WeChat Pay in China as a foreign tourist. You do not need a Chinese bank account, a Chinese phone number or a Chinese ID card.

Set it up at home, a few days before you fly:

1. Install WeChat from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Register with your home mobile number and pass WeChat’s security check.
3. Open Wallet and link an international card, ideally a physical Visa or Mastercard credit card.
4. Verify your passport so you can make larger payments.
5. Set a six-digit payment password and turn on Face ID or fingerprint.
6. Keep a second wallet, a second card and some cash as backup.

In China, you then scan the merchant’s QR code or show your own payment code. Your card is charged in your home currency.

WeChat Pay works alongside Alipay. For the Alipay setup, see Alipay for foreigners.

What you need before you start

Losing access to your home number is the most common reason visitors get locked out. Before you fly, make sure that number can still receive SMS codes abroad.

Step 1: Register WeChat with your home number

WeChat is a messaging app first, and WeChat Pay is built into it. It is the same app everywhere; in mainland China it is called Weixin (微信).

1. Open WeChat and tap Sign up.
2. Choose your country code and enter your mobile number.
3. Enter the text message code.
4. Pass the security check. Tencent says new overseas users can do this in one of three ways:
   • an existing WeChat user scans a code on your screen;
   • you verify a bank card;
   • you link a card to open WeChat Pay straight away.

If WeChat asks for a friend’s scan and you do not know anyone, look for the card option on the same screen. If it is not offered, a hotel receptionist or your guide can usually help once you arrive, but it is better to finish this at home.

Step 2: Link your international card

1. Tap Me, then Services (in some versions Pay and Services).
2. Tap Wallet, then Cards, then Add a card.
3. Enter the card number, expiry date and security code (CVV).
4. Enter your name exactly as printed on the card, plus any billing details requested.
5. Complete your bank’s check, such as a 3-D Secure code or a push notice in your bank app.

WeChat Pay accepts cards from Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Discover, Diners Club and UnionPay.

Tencent says that for small payments, you only need to submit the card number, expiry date and CVV, and the card issuer checks them. No passport is needed at this stage. For where cards work without a wallet, see Can I use my credit card in China?

Step 3: Verify your passport for higher limits

China’s central bank says no identity details are needed for mobile payments by foreigners below a certain amount. For larger payments, WeChat Pay asks you to complete real-name verification:

• a photo of your passport photo page;
• your name, nationality, passport number and expiry date;
• sometimes a face scan.

Tencent says automatic checks now review passports from more than 20 countries in seconds rather than a day. Do it at home anyway, in case your passport needs a manual review.

Step 4: Set your password and language

• Payment password: a six-digit PIN, different from your bank PIN.
• Face ID or fingerprint: faster at checkouts.
• Language: WeChat follows your phone language or its own setting under Me → Settings → General → Language. Mini-programs made by other companies may still be in Chinese.

How to pay

Show your code (the merchant scans you). Tap + at the top right of the Chats screen, then Money (the name can vary by version), and show the barcode and QR code. The cashier scans it. This is the usual method in supermarkets, chain stores, restaurants and hotels.

Scan their code (you scan the merchant). Tap +, then Scan, point at the printed QR code, type the amount in RMB, check the payee name and confirm. This is common at small stalls, markets and taxis. Show the seller the success screen.

Always check the amount and the payee before you confirm. The UK government advises travelers to learn about QR code phishing, because fake codes can be stuck over real ones. If a code looks tampered with, show your own code instead.

What else you can do with WeChat

• Call a ride-hailing car: the State Council’s guide for foreigners says to open WeChat, tap Me → Services, then Mobility or Ride Hailing, and enter your pick-up point and destination.
• Order food in restaurants that use table QR codes. See How to order food in China.
• Book tickets and pay bills through mini-programs, although many are only in Chinese.
• Message your hotel, guide or driver. WeChat is the most common way to stay in touch in China.

Transit codes for the metro vary by city and may not support foreign cards. Buy a ticket at the machine if the code will not open.

Fees and limits

The per-payment and yearly limits are set by China’s central bank for overseas visitors. The RMB 200 fee waiver was described by Tencent in 2024, and WeChat Pay has run extra fee waivers for new users at times. Fees change, so read the fee line on the payment screen before you confirm.

Tip: split big bills. A hotel stay or large purchase can often be paid by physical card instead, avoiding the wallet fee.

When your card will not link

Tencent says WeChat Pay offers customer service around the clock in English, Spanish, Japanese and other languages. Find it under Me → Services → Wallet → Help (menu names can vary by version).

When a payment fails at the counter

1. Read the message. A risk check, a declined card and a weak connection need different fixes.
2. Switch method. If scanning fails, show your code, and the other way round.
3. Switch card in the payment method list before confirming.
4. Try Alipay, your second wallet.
5. Pay by physical card or cash. See Cash and ATMs in China.

WeChat Pay or Alipay?

Most visitors are best off with both: Alipay as the main wallet and WeChat for messaging and as a backup. See Alipay for foreigners.

What foreigners usually cannot do

With a foreign card, WeChat Pay is built for paying merchants. Do not count on:

• sending money to friends or red packets (红包);
• topping up a WeChat balance;
• receiving payments.

To split a bill, have one person pay the restaurant and settle up with your home banking apps.

If you are planning your first trip and want help with the practical setup, from payments to your phone and train tickets, our free trip planning service can walk you through it before you fly.