Cash is backup, not king
Mobile payment dominates, but cash is legal tender and useful for small vendors, markets, rural areas and emergencies. Carry a few hundred RMB in small notes; asking a taxi driver to break a 100-yuan note can be difficult early in the morning.
ATMs and cards
Use ATMs at major banks (Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank) and avoid standalone machines in tourist areas. Check the machine for skimming devices, cover the keypad, and keep the receipt. Your home bank may charge a foreign withdrawal fee plus a currency conversion fee.
Exchange and counterfeit notes
Exchange at a bank or official currency exchange counter; rates at hotels and airports are usually worse. Check notes for texture, watermark and security line, especially in markets. If a vendor refuses a large note, pay with smaller denominations or mobile.
Reality check
ATMs are convenient but skimming and dynamic currency conversion can quietly cost you.
Local tip: Use bank branches and decline conversion to your home currency.
Step by step
- Tell your bank you are travelling and enable foreign transactions.
- Withdraw from a major-bank ATM using a debit card.
- Take a mix of 100, 50 and 20 yuan notes.
- Keep receipts and count cash before leaving the machine.
- Use mobile payment first; keep cash for backup.
- Exchange leftover RMB before departure or keep a small amount.
Typical costs
| Item | Cost / note |
|---|---|
| ATM withdrawal fee | US$2–6 plus your bank fee |
| Currency exchange spread | Usually 1–3% |
| Cash advance on credit card | Expensive; avoid |
Prices are indicative and change. Confirm with the official provider before paying.
Documents to prepare
- Passport
- Debit/credit card
- Bank travel notice
- Receipts
Common mistakes
- Carrying only large notes
- Using isolated ATMs at night
- Accepting damaged or suspicious notes
- Relying on cash only
If things go wrong
- If the machine eats your card, call the bank and stay near the machine.
- If you suspect skimming, freeze the card and report it.
FAQ
Can I use my card everywhere?
No. Major hotels and stores often accept foreign cards, but small vendors may not. Use mobile payment or cash.
Are Scottish/old notes accepted?
Foreign currency exchange may refuse unusual notes. Bring clean, current banknotes.
Money in China: the field guide
China is a mobile-payment economy with a cash safety net. The goal is not to find the one perfect app; it is to have two working payment paths and a small cash reserve.
Build a payment stack
Use Alipay or WeChat Pay as primary, the other as backup, a physical bank card as third, and a few hundred RMB as fourth. Test each before you depend on it. A card that works in a hotel may fail at a noodle shop; that is normal, not a crisis.
Understand the fees
Foreign cards can carry a 1–3% foreign-transaction fee, and ATMs add their own charges. When a terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and pay in RMB; the conversion is usually worse. Keep receipts for refunds and tax claims.
Fraud and mistakes
Never share a payment QR code, SMS code or password. Do not let a stranger “help” you pay and then keep your phone. If a payment fails, stop after two attempts and switch method; repeated retries can lock the card. If you are overcharged, ask for the bill and dispute through the app or your bank.
Quick checks
- Two payment apps tested
- One physical card plus cash
- Bank told about travel dates
- No shared QR codes or SMS codes
- Receipts kept for refunds
Printable checklist
Print this page or save it as a PDF. Tick each item before you go.
- Passport
- Debit/credit card
- Bank travel notice
- Receipts
- Tell your bank you are travelling and enable foreign transactions.
- Withdraw from a major-bank ATM using a debit card.
- Take a mix of 100, 50 and 20 yuan notes.
- Keep receipts and count cash before leaving the machine.
- Use mobile payment first; keep cash for backup.
- Exchange leftover RMB before departure or keep a small amount.
This guide is a practical summary, not an official or legal document. Rules and prices change. Use the official links below, and confirm with the relevant authority or a qualified professional.
Last verified 2026-10-29. China Handbook is independent and not affiliated with any government. Information is provided for general guidance only.