Can you buy stuff online with a cash card
Are foreign credit cards accepted in China? How much cash do I need? When and where can I exchange Chinese yuan? Can I use mobile payment?
Cash cards and debit cards explained
Are foreign credit cards accepted in China? How much cash do I need? When and where can I exchange Chinese yuan? Can I use mobile payment? Cash is still more widely used in China than credit cards, especially in smaller cities and outside of more touristy areas. That said, many places in China, including hotels, upscale restaurants, and foreign brand-name stores accept credit cards, so it is worth bringing your credit card with you.
Depending on your bank, using a foreign credit card in China will usually incur a foreign currency exchange fee and a transaction fee from either your home or the local bank, which can add up fast. Because of this, we recommend only using a credit card for major transactions such as hotels, tours, flight tickets, and potentially costly purchases such as jewelry or art.
Meanwhile, make sure that you have enough cash on you to handle smaller payments whenever you're out and about, as foreign credit cards and debit cards may not be accepted everywhere. Important Note: Please consult your bank or credit card company about whether you can use your card in China and if it will incur a fee.
You should also let your bank back home know that you will be using your card in China; otherwise your transactions might be flagged as unusual activity and your card may get blocked. You can exchange your home currency for Chinese yuan before you leave or after you arrive in China. You can certainly exchange some money before arriving in China, but withdrawing RMB in China is usually cheaper than exchanging in your home country, so you can simply bring a debit card with you and withdraw cash as needed.
You should also bring at least one credit card for any big payments. It is easy and quick to get cash on arrival at any Chinese international airport. There are usually ATMs in the baggage claim area and after exiting customs on both the arrival and departure levels.
There are also currency exchange counters in the airport, although they may charge steep fees. A money exchange counter at Beijing Capital International Airport. While you are in China, you can use your debit card to withdraw money from a hour ATM. Big cities and smaller towns all have hour ATMs. However, many rural areas, such as parts of Tibet , don't have many ATMs. English interfaces are available for use on all ATMs.
Be sure to check which cards are supported before you use the ATM There are usually signs on the ATM indicating what types of card are supported.
An ATM that supports foreign bank cards. Some hotels provide currency exchange services but they usually charge a hefty fee. We also don't recommend exchanging money at the bank counter in China, as you may be in for a lengthy wait and you could be asked to bring extra documents and fill out a complicated form.
If you are traveling on one of our guided tours , you only need to pay for dinners and personal expenses while you are in China. As long as you don't plan on buying many souvenirs, we recommend that you bring RMB per day per person.
If you are traveling on your own, the amount of cash you need will vary greatly depending on where you visit and how often you will use your credit card. To be on the safe side, 2, RMB per person should cover all of your expenses for a usual day trip in China including entry fees, meals in decent restaurants, taxis , although you probably will not actually spend that much. Note: Thanks to inflation and a strong RMB over the past ten years, traveling in China is not as cheap as it used to be. Mobile payment in China is surprisingly advanced and widely used, even more so than cash in big cities.
The two most common platforms are Alipay and WeChat. While traveling in China, you will see QR codes for mobile payment everywhere from taxis to street food stalls, making it a very convenient way to pay. Many younger people have essentially completely abandoned cash. Find out how to buy a Forbidden City ticket by scanning a QR code here. At the time of writing, you can link a foreign credit card e. Visa, MasterCard, JCB to your WeChat account and use it to make some online payments, and Alipay allows you to use foreign credit or debit cards to add money to its TourPass wallet which can then be used to make payments in China.
Apple Pay is supported by only a limited number of international brands and is rarely used in China. We can help you set up a WeChat account then transfer a balance to you, which you can then use to pay for things while you are traveling around China. You can read more about how to use WeChat during your travels in China here. In the event that you are unable to pay using your credit card and happen to not have enough cash to hand, you can also ask your guide to pay with WeChat or Alipay and then pay them back with your home currency.
While you are in China, there is a small possibility that you will receive some fake Renminbi notes. Rather than telling you how to recognize fake notes, since this is difficult for local Chinese let alone foreign travelers, we will instead give you a few tips on how to minimize the risk of fraud or fake notes.
Our number one advice is: always exchange or withdraw money from banks or ATMs attached to a bank. There have been reports of people withdrawing fake Renminbi notes from banks or ATMs, but it is still much safer than many other sources. Exchange rates in China are highly regulated, so you will get a similar rate at all banks in China. Some unscrupulous taxi drivers or vendors may quickly switch your genuine banknote for a fake one and then return the fake banknote to you and tell you the money you gave them is fake.
They usually do this with yuan notes since they are most valuable, although it may happen with 50 yuan notes too. Because of this, we suggest travelers in China keep some 10 or 50 yuan banknotes for small payments and avoid using yuan notes when taking taxis or making small transactions. Otherwise, if you are able to pay by Wechat or Alipay, you can simply use these and avoid cash altogether!
The China Guide is a Beijing-based travel agency that customizes private tours, educational student tours, and incentive trips across China.
We have more than ten years of experience crafting tours for tens of thousands of travelers from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and beyond. We promise all our tours have no hidden fees, no shopping stops, no touristy restaurants, just memorable experiences! Learn more about us or contact us to start planning your perfect China trip.
Toggle navigation MENU. Let's Plan Your Trip. Home Blogs Cash or Credit Card? Cash or Credit Card? How to Pay for Things in China Last updated on Getting Cash in China You can exchange your home currency for Chinese yuan before you leave or after you arrive in China. An ATM that supports foreign bank cards Some hotels provide currency exchange services but they usually charge a hefty fee.
How much cash do I need when traveling in China? Mobile Payment in China Mobile payment in China is surprisingly advanced and widely used, even more so than cash in big cities.
Find out how to buy a Forbidden City ticket by scanning a QR code here At the time of writing, you can link a foreign credit card e. How to avoid accepting fake Renminbi while traveling in China While you are in China, there is a small possibility that you will receive some fake Renminbi notes.
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I have not seen anything like this recently - credit cards, debit cards, and paypal have become so common and easily accessible that it is expected you would pay. They include debit cards, prepaid cards, gift cards, PayPal, Amazon Cash, your You can also use a retail-specific gift card to shop online, but typically only at.
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A debit card will usually offer the same facility, but also allow you to pay directly for goods and services in any place where your card's payment network Visa, Maestro, etc. Debit Mastercard is linked to your current account and allows payment for goods and services as well as cash withdrawals at ATMs.
Shopping online is an easy and fun way to buy items. It can be a pain if you don't have a credit card.
NEVER use a debit card for shopping online, and here is why
This typically means a credit card , but there are ways to shop online even without a credit card. They include debit cards, prepaid cards, gift cards , PayPal, Amazon Cash, your checking account, or even borrowing someone else's card. Debit cards can be used to shop online as long as the card has a Visa or MasterCard logo. Input the digit card number along with the expiration date, security code, and billing address the address where you receive your bank statements. The funds for the transaction will be deducted from the checking account linked to the debit card.
Cash or Credit Card? How to Pay for Things in China
I have bought an online something with cash. They ran it as a form that was printed off and then mailed with the cash. They then credited me with the items I purchased it was stuff in an online game. Not very secure. But, it worked! I have not seen anything like this recently - credit cards, debit cards, and paypal have become so common and easily accessible that it is expected you would pay that way. Additionally, who wants to wait for the cash to go through the mail and then the company to send the product? That takes at least 4 days, probably That takes at least 4 days, probably more like days.
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