Planning a trip to China and wondering how you’ll pay for everything? As a tourist, setting up WeChat Pay and Alipay is now almost essential — these two digital wallets have largely replaced cash and even credit cards in mainland China.
In this complete guide, I’ll walk you through how to set up WeChat Pay and Alipay for tourists in 2026 within minutes!
WeChat Pay
Sign Up for a WeChat account
- The first most obvious step is to download the official WeChat app for Android or iOS
- Signup for WeChat account using your phone number (no chinese number is required)
- Verify the number with SMS via WeChat and create a password and thats it you now have a valid WeChat account
Setup WeChat Pay
- Click on me then on Pay and Services
- Click on Wallet
- Click on Bank Cards
- Click on Add a Bank Card
- You will then need to read and agree to WeChat’s user agreement policy
- Then upload your passport photo page, take a selfie for facial recognition and enter your personal details (name, passport number etc) as they appear on your assport
- Once all is submitted it takes WeChat minutes to verify if everything is in order and once approved thats it you now have WeChat Pay!
- Tap on Wallet → Bank Cards, tap Add a Bank Card
- Your bank will verify you want to add the card follow your bank’s prompts
- This one is important, setup a 6 digit WeChat Pay password that you wont forget as you’ll be using it to approve payments
- Thats IT!
Setup WeChat for Public Transport
- Slide down on the first page you see when you open WeChat – that will bring up the mini program section of WeChat
2. Tap on the search bar and put in “乘车码” (Chengchema)
This is the mini program that can be used to pay for metro, buses, ferries across major cities in China
3. Select city you are in and F\follow prompts to activate and allow mini program to deduct transportation fees from your WeChat pay
4. Once done a QR code that look like the image on the left and thats it! Just scan to ride!
AliPay
Signup for an AliPay account
- We again start with the obvious here which is to download the official Alipay app (make sure it is the blue icon with the white “支” symbol see left and is published by Alipay Hangzhou Technology) from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).
- Register an AliPay account by using your phone number, verify with SMS code
- Set up your profile and your account is ready
Complete Identity Verification
Note – This step is necessary if you want to use AliPay
- Tap the Me tab (bottom right).
- Go to Settings (gear icon or top right) → Account and Security → Identity Information (or “Verify now”).
3. Upload your passport as your ID type
4. Follow prompts to complete facial verification process
Once done await Alipay to notify you that your Alipay is setup (this process can be fast within minutes or up to a few hours)
Almost There! Link Your Card
5. Tap on the “Me” tab, tap Bank Cards.
6. Add in Card, billing address
7. Await and complete your bank’s verification process
8. Setup a 6-digit Alipay payment password
Like WeChat – I’d also recommend a card with low foreign transaction fees like Youtrip like YouTrip (use my code YTSteve for $10 in your Youtrip account when you signup)
Using Alipay for Public Transport
- Open Alipay and click on “Transport” located at the top row
- The interface should default to the city you are in but tap on the city name at the top to change if needed
- Tap Get Now/Agree and Obtain Card
- Review and agree on the terms
- And thats it! your city speficif Metro Card or Bus Car dis now active indicate by a QR code display (see below for example)
There is of course more to know before going to China especially if youre heading there for the first time, you will find my China time is travel guide video linked below helpful
If it is, don’t forget to subscribe so you can ask me any questions you like in the comment section of the video
