Banking & Money in China: real experience from chats
Real experience of people from chats on «Banking & Money» in China — as it is, no fluff. For your case — ask Luky.
From real experience
To avoid bank authorization prompts during Alipay payments (when showing your QR code to a merchant), use the 'Scan' feature to scan the merchant's QR code and enter the amount manually. This often bypasses additional 3D Secure or bank authorization steps. Keep a balance in the Alipay wallet for seamless transactions.
When transiting through Shanghai, cash (RMB) is essential, as local businesses and transport often do not accept international credit cards and digital payment apps may not be set up. Carry physical cash for small expenses like food and ferries.
Russian-issued UnionPay cards (like RSHB) have limited acceptance in China. They generally do not work for direct Alipay/WeChat wallet top-ups. However, they can be used for: 1) Withdrawing cash at ATMs. 2) Direct payments via terminal (if the shop has an old-fashioned POS terminal). 3) Sometimes as a payment method inside the WeChat/Alipay apps for specific merchants. Direct QR-code payment via Russian card QR is generally not supported.
As of February 1, 2026, the People's Bank of China strictly enforces cash acceptance for face-to-face transactions in retail, dining, and tourist facilities. Businesses cannot refuse cash or use lack of change as a valid reason for refusal, except in designated automated self-service kiosks.
Registration for UnionPay applications in China often fails due to daily quota exhaustion. The optimal window to request a verification code is 08:00–08:02 Beijing Time. Multiple consecutive attempts within this 2-minute window significantly increase the success rate.
Top-up of Alipay via Russian banks (Sber, VTB, T-Bank) is performed via QR-code transfers. The operation may fail or result in an automatic refund multiple times; typically, 3-5 attempts are required for success. It is highly recommended to start with small test amounts (10-100 CNY) to avoid security blocks or triggers under anti-money laundering (AML) laws. Ensure a 6-digit transaction password is set in the payment profile to prevent immediate transaction rejections.