Mobile payment dominates, but cash is still legal everywhere: all merchants must accept it, though change can be a hassle - carry 200-500 yuan in small bills.
ATMs: big banks like Bank of China and ICBC accept UnionPay, Visa and Mastercard; single withdrawals cost about 10-30 yuan in fees, so withdraw larger amounts.
Exchange: airports and bank counters (with passport) exchange at near-market rates; private street exchange shops are irregular and carry counterfeit risk - avoid.
Payment: Alipay and WeChat Pay linked to an international card let you scan and pay at real-time rates - the most convenient way.
Money basics: the yuan divides into jiao and fen; 1 yuan = 10 jiao. 100, 50, 20 and 10 yuan notes are common, with clear anti-counterfeit features.
Budget: a typical traveller spends 300-800 yuan daily (lodging + food + city transport), tickets extra; first-tier cities cost more.
