In China, QR-based wallet payments are often more common than contactless tap-to-pay for everyday use.
What People Use in China
Alipay
A major QR wallet used widely for everyday payments, services, and in-app mini services.
WeChat Pay
A major QR payment method tightly integrated into WeChat and widely used for everyday spending.
UnionPay App
A widely used China wallet app for QR payments and card-linked payment flows, with features that overlap with Alipay and WeChat Pay.
Traveler Tips
- ✓Plan around Alipay/WeChat Pay for daily payments.
- ✓Test your payment setup on day one and keep a fallback (cash or card).
- ✓Use item pages to learn which app helps with transport, food, and tickets.
Things to Watch Out For
- ⚠Even if some contactless terminals exist, QR is frequently the expected flow.
- ⚠Some wallet features depend on verification steps.