To keep your trip smooth, keep a little cash on hand, about 200–300 yuan (about 790,000–1,190,000 VND), if you're traveling to high mountain areas like Lijiang or Shangri-La. If you're heading elsewhere, the following 5 ways to pay in China will make things much easier.
Alipay
Most commonThere are 2 ways to use Alipay:
- Buy yuan and have someone transfer it into your Alipay.
- Link an international card like Visa or Mastercard and scan to pay directly.
You should set up both, because some local restaurants ask for a bank transfer, and only yuan already sitting in Alipay can be transferred. That said, you don't need to buy much yuan; about 100–200 yuan (about 400,000–790,000 VND) as a backup is enough.
How to link Alipay to an international payment card
- 1Download Alipay and sign up with a Vietnamese phone number.
- 2In the app, tap Account → Bank Cards → Add Bank Cards.
Account → Bank Cards → Add Bank Card - 3Enter your international payment card number and the related details: card type (Card Type), expiry date (Expiry Date) and CVV. Alipay accepts Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, American Express, Diners Club, Discover and JCB cards.
Enter the card number, card type, expiry date and CVV - 4When the screen shows Added successfully, as in the image below, the card is linked.
Card linked successfully
How to pay by scanning with Alipay
- 1There are two ways to pay, just like Vietnamese banking apps: scan the shop's code (Scan) or show your code for the seller to scan (Pay/Receive).
Scan to scan the shop's code, Pay/Receive to show your code to the seller - 2If you choose Pay/Receive, the app shows a payment code. Hand it to the seller to scan and you're done.
After tapping Pay/Receive, hand this code to the seller to scan
- If a payment is 200 yuan (about 790,000 VND) or more and you scan to pay with an international card, you'll be charged an extra 3% fee. So when shopping, split your purchases into smaller payments to avoid that fee.
- Sometimes Alipay will ask you to verify again. Don't worry; just keep your passport handy to scan and you can verify quickly.
See also: What to do when Alipay is locked
WeChat Pay
BackupWeChat Pay (called Weixin Pay in China) is usually the more common payment method at restaurants. Some eateries and restaurants put up a WeChat Pay code you scan to see the menu, order and pay right in the app.
To use WeChat Pay, you need to download WeChat. Just like Alipay, WeChat Pay can be linked to an international payment card, or you can have someone top it up with yuan.
How to link WeChat Pay to an international payment card
- 1Open WeChat and tap Me → Pay and Services → Wallet.
Me → Pay and Services → Wallet - 2Tap Bank Cards → Add a Bank Card.
Bank Cards → Add a Bank Card - 3Enter the card details: card number (Card No.), card type (Card Type), expiry date (Valid Date) and CVV, then tap Next. WeChat Pay accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Discover, Diners Club and UnionPay cards.
Enter the card number, card type, expiry date and CVV, then tap Next - 4Tap Agree and the card is added, as shown in the image, then tap Done and you're finished.
Agree → card added (Added) → Done
- WeChat Pay is harder to set up than Alipay because you need someone who has used WeChat for over 6 months to scan a code to verify you. Still, it's very handy: you can pay and also message your hotel or driver.
ZaloPay and MoMo
BackupZaloPay and MoMo are two e-wallets every Vietnamese person knows. Since the two apps work almost the same way, I'll cover both at once.
Both apps can scan a code or create a code for the seller to scan. Below is how to scan to pay in China with them.
- 1Open the app and tap Scan QR. Tap the arrow next to the country and choose China.
Scan QR → Country → China - 2Now you can scan right away, or create a payment code for the seller to scan.
Tap Mã thanh toán to create a code for the seller to scan
- These apps are still new to international QR payments, so they don't work everywhere. Treat them as a backup only; you should still have Alipay, WeChat Pay and some cash.
Scan to pay directly with a Vietnamese banking app
Right now, 2 banks let you scan international QR codes directly: Vietcombank and ACB. Scanning works the same way as with ZaloPay and MoMo.
See also: 7 apps to download before going to China
Frequently asked questions
Are all payments of 200 yuan or more charged a fee?
No. Only payment options linked to an international card are charged. If you buy yuan and top up Alipay or WeChat Pay, or already have money in ZaloPay or MoMo, you won't be charged this fee.
Can I use ZaloPay or MoMo instead of Alipay and WeChat Pay?
Better not. ZaloPay and MoMo are still new to international QR payments, so they don't work everywhere. Treat them as a backup; you should still have Alipay, WeChat Pay and cash.
Chow's note:
- Turn on overseas transactions for your cards.
- Large payments may be charged a fee (usually 3% for bills of 200 yuan, about 790,000 VND, or more), so split the bill if needed to avoid it.
- Try a small payment as soon as you arrive to make sure your card works with every payment option, and see which one gives the best exchange rate.