How to Set Up Alipay and WeChat Before Traveling to China (2026)

Set up Alipay and WeChat at home before flying. Both apps need a working SMS code from your home phone number plus a foreign card to bind, and the registration can be glitchy on a Chinese-routed network. Install both from your home App Store or Google Play, register with your home phone number, complete passport verification in-app, and bind a Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover, or Diners card. Alipay direct binding charges 0% on transactions under 200 yuan and 3% on amounts over 200; the per-transaction limit rose to about 5,000 USD in early 2026 with an annual cap near 50,000 USD. WeChat Pay International applies similar caps. Skip the Alipay TourCard mini-program unless your home bank refuses China transactions; direct binding uses your bank's own exchange rate and avoids the 5% top-up fee. Pre-load 200 to 500 yuan equivalent to test, then top up as needed in-app. Carry your passport for in-app identity verification; some screens demand both passport photo and a selfie. Install both apps because some merchants only accept one; Alipay tends to scan more reliably at small vendors, while WeChat Pay is required if you also message Chinese contacts.