Foreign travelers can now use Alipay without a Chinese bank account
A prepaid card on Alipay lets foreigners top-up using international credit cards, giving it an advantage over Tencent’s WeChat Pay
Paying for things in China has become an increasingly frustrating experience for tourists in China, where mobile payments have become the norm. But Alipay and the Bank of Shanghai have now made it much easier.
As China has shifted to payment platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay, cash has become an increasingly rare sight in the country. Many places no longer accept cash at all. The problem for foreigners is that these platforms require a Chinese bank account, and it’s become difficult for people on tourist visas to open bank accounts in China.
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(Abacus is a unit of the South China Morning Post, which is owned by Alibaba, whose affiliate Ant Financial operates Alipay.)
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Alipay users can find the mini program just by searching for Tour Pass within the app. When they open it up, they have the option to top-up a digital prepaid card from the Bank of Shanghai.
