China has largely gone cashless: from five-star hotels to street crêpe stalls, QR-code payment is everywhere. For visitors, the handiest options are Alipay and WeChat Pay.
Binding foreign cards: both apps support overseas cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, etc.) - register with your passport and bind; Alipay even has a dedicated international version. Some low-value uses (like metro codes) now work directly with international cards.
Limits: foreign cards usually cap single transactions at 5,000 yuan and annual total at US$50,000 (policies shift); for big purchases (a phone, say) use a UnionPay card or cash.
Cash remains legal: RMB notes and coins work nationwide, but small stalls may not make change for large notes; some machines (ticket vending) take only cash or QR. Carry 200-500 yuan in cash as backup.
Pitfalls: never pay through someone else's WeChat/Alipay account (risk-control flags); beware currency-exchange touts - black-market exchange is illegal and scam-prone; check your bank's foreign-card fees before departure.
