How good is the coverage of Apple Pay in China? Obviously not as good as Alipay. But is it useful?
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3 Answers
Pretty useless I think. The use of Apple Pay is covered on the Apple's website in China. The list mainly consists of supermarkets, convenience stores, and malls, as well as some internationally recognized brands such as McDonald's, KFC, and H&M.
However, according to a question - How is your experience on Apple Pay in China - on a Chinese Q&A site, many users reported that the shop clerks don't know how to handle Apple Pay even though the shops adopt the system. Also, most clerks in China don't speak English.
So I recommend to carry enough cash, or create a bank account and Alipay or WeChat if you really want to use the mobile payment (which I did and you can even as a traveler).
EDIT
I found that in most cases, the cards issued only in China can be used in China. I added my Amex to the wallet, but when I tried using it at a supermarket, the payment was rejected. In fact even App Store China requires a credit card issued in China...
answered Feb 28, 2018 at 13:58
as an avid Apple fan, Apple Pay is my preferred method of payment. Apple Pay is pretty useful in China. The QuickPass RFID terminals are basically in every major store. Notable exceptions are small local convenience stores, and of course every store/business that doesn’t accept credit/debit cards at all. That said, I would still recommend setting up WeChat and/or Alipay, for peer-to-Peer transactions and to be able to pay at the above-mentioned exceptions. I prefer Alipay over WeChat Pay, due to Alipay being more widespread.
Hope that helped.
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In my experience in China, there are an awful lot of stores that don't accept credit cards, certainly when compared to Alipay/Wepay. Commented Nov 9, 2019 at 13:32
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And every ATM I tried demanded a six-digit PIN, but all three of my cards made me choose a four-digit PIN. Fortunately, my credit card let me buy food.– WGroleauCommented May 16, 2020 at 18:53
Apple pay wallet connected to non-Chinese issued cards do not work in China, PERIOD.
The only method of getting cash, is to use a mainstream bank atm, Bank of China, ICBC, etc. International hotels usually accept non-Chinese credit cards such as Master Card or Visa, but its wise to ask (show your card) before you make a transaction such as purchasing a meal. Foreigners without a resident permit (have a visa to live in China and usually a work visa) are not allowed to setup a bank account in China. So no bank account, no use of phone payment apps. China has been very slow to develop cross-border banking. It also appears that a bank branch of the same name, but in a different city usually won't cooperate with each other. So if you do go to China to work, sometimes you will only be able to withdraw the balance of your cash from from the city you established residency with the bank. If you move to a different city, you can't transfer accounts within the same Banking system to your new city. You'd better be adaptable, but if you want everything like home sweet home, stay home.
