Alipay in China: Set Up, Pay, and Handle Common Problems

Set up before your first purchase

Install the official Alipay app and register with a phone number you can access for verification codes while travelling. In the app's payment or card area, add an eligible card that belongs to you. Enter the information requested on screen, complete any identity and issuer checks, and confirm that the card appears as an available payment method. Screen labels and verification prompts can change.

An Alipay-authored illustrated guide republished by the Shanghai government shows the card-linking flow and says an overseas card can be linked without opening a prepaid account or obtaining a Chinese phone number. Use its real screenshots as a visual reference, then follow the prompts in your own app.

1. Register using a reachable phone number.
2. Add your own eligible card in the app's card or payment area.
3. Complete the requested identity and card issuer verification.
4. Check that the payment method is available before relying on it.

• Official illustrated card-linking guide →

Pay a merchant

At a participating merchant, follow its instructions to scan a code or show your payment code. Check the merchant and amount before confirming. Select the linked card if the app offers a choice, then wait for a clear result. Keep the receipt or transaction record until the merchant confirms payment.

The overseas-card service agreement covers eligible purchases from qualifying mainland merchants after the required checks. It does not make every merchant or every Alipay feature available to every visitor. Card-funded transfers, withdrawals, and other non-purchase uses should not be assumed to work.

• Alipay overseas-card service agreement →

Check the amount and card charges

Read the app's displayed total and any fee notice before approving a payment. Your card issuer and payment network may apply their own currency conversion or charges; check your issuer's terms and statement for the amount billed in your card's currency. Card and transaction limits may also affect whether a purchase succeeds. Avoid budgeting around an assumed fee, exchange rate, or universal limit.

Keep a second way to pay

Carry another usable card or some cash for a merchant that cannot take your chosen method, a weak connection, or a verification problem. Protect your phone, card details, one-time codes, and payment code. Never share a verification code or let someone else use your payment code to troubleshoot a purchase.

If a payment is unclear, review your Alipay history and ask the merchant whether the order was received before trying again. Save the transaction reference and contact Alipay or your card issuer through their official support channels if the status remains unresolved.

If your card will not link

Check that the card details and your name match the card and that the card is eligible under the current app prompts. Finish any identity request, then ask your issuer whether it blocked the verification or overseas use. Try a different eligible card if available.

If a code does not arrive

Confirm the country code and number, mobile signal or roaming access, and any SMS filtering. Allow time before requesting another code. If the issuer sends its own approval request, check the issuer's app or contact it directly.

If payment is declined

Read the app's reason, check your chosen card and available funds, and ask your issuer about a block or limit. The merchant may also be ineligible for this card-funded service. Use a backup method when you need to complete the purchase.

If payment is pending

Do not repeatedly submit the same order. Check transaction history and confirm the merchant's order status. Keep the reference number and seek official support if the status does not resolve.

Find the right Alipay fix

Open standalone tool →