How to use the Wise card in China: Complete guide (MY)

Wise offers powerful ways to hold, exchange, send and spend a range of currencies, but what about using Wise in China? Can a Wise card be used in China to spend and make withdrawals?

This guide looks at how to use Wise in China, perfect if you have a trip planned or need to send or receive Chinese Yuan.

Can I use Wise in China?

Wise product and service availability can vary depending on the country, so whether or not you can use your Wise account will depend on the type of transaction you want to make.

If you have a Wise account opened in Malaysia you can usually use Wise in China in the following ways:

• Hold a CNY balance in your Wise account - good for saving for a future trip or to pay bills
• Send payments from MYR to CNY to Unionpay, Alipay and Weixin accounts¹
• Send payments from CNY to a bank or Wise account in your name subject to meeting eligibility requirements (including working, or having previously worked in China)
• Spend with your Wise card anywhere the Visa/Mastercard network is available during a trip to China
• Make cash withdrawals using your physical Wise card to get CNY in China
• Add your physical or virtual Wise card to an app like Alipay or WeChat Pay for local spending

The good news is that when using Wise to convert to or from CNY, you’ll get the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees. This makes spending during a trip, or sending money to someone in China simple, fast and cheap too.

Can I use the Wise card in China?

Yes. Both the Wise physical and digital cards are accepted, wherever you see the Mastercard or Visa logo displayed. Generally this is an option at major international retailers and restaurants, hotels and other places which have frequent overseas visitors.

You can also use your Wise card in China by linking it to a local app like WeChat Pay - more on that in a moment.

How to use Wise in China

If you have an upcoming trip to China it’s good to know you can rely on Wise to spend and make cash withdrawals while you’re there. Just take along your Wise physical card to get CNY cash from ATMs, and use your Wise card with local wallets for easy payments. Here are your main options for spending on a trip to Mainland China.

How to use Wise digital card in China

Your Wise digital card works like your physical Wise card, but is only available digitally, through your phone or laptop. You can add your Wise digital card to a wallet like Apple Pay to make mobile payments, or you can use it for secure transactions in China by adding it to your preferred app like Alipay or WeChat Pay.

Your Wise digital card has different card details to your physical card, so you can freeze or replace it easily without needing to cut up your physical card.

How to link Wise card to Alipay?

You can add your Wise physical or digital card to Alipay to spend conveniently when you’re in China. Assuming you already have a verified Alipay account, you can take the following steps to bind your Wise card:

1. Open the Alipay app and then tap Me
2. Navigate to Bank Cards and tap Add Bank Card
3. Enter your Wise physical or digital card information following the prompts
4. You’ll get a message from Alipay to say the card is successfully added

Once you have your Wise card on Alipay you can use the Alipay app to pay by presenting the merchant with your app barcode, or scanning their QR².

If you have a CNY balance in your Wise account, the purchase value will be deducted from there. If you don’t have CNY in your Wise account, the purchase value will be converted from your balance using the Alipay exchange rate which may include a fee.

How to link Wise card to WeChat Pay?

You can also use Wise in partnership with the WeChat Pay app, for simple and secure digital payments in China. You’ll need to have a verified WeChat Pay app before you can start - here’s what to do next:

1. Open the WeChat app and then go to the services tab
2. Click Wallet and then Add Bank Card
3. Enter your Wise physical or digital card information following the prompts

If currency conversion is needed for your purchase there may be a WeChat pay fee of 3% added for purchases over 200 CNY in value³.

How to order a Wise card?

You can order a Wise card in Malaysia by taking the following steps:

1. Download the Wise app or open the Wise desktop site
2. Click ‘Open an account’
3. Enter your email address or register using a Facebook, Google or Apple ID
4. Follow the prompts to enter your personal and contact information
5. Upload an image of your ID documents⁴ - passport or MyKad, plus a valid pass or visa if you’re not a Malaysian citizen
6. Once your account is verified you can add your first balance in the currency of your choice
7. Select the Card tab and follow the prompts to order your Wise card

Within Malaysia, Wise cards are usually delivered in about 5 working days.

Summary: How to use Wise in China

You can use Wise in China to help make CNY payments more convenient.

If you’re off on a trip to China you can take along your Wise card for ATM withdrawals, and add your physical or digital card to apps like WeChat Pay and Alipay to spend like locals while you’re there.

You can also send money from Malaysia to China, if you need to pay bills or make transfers to friends and family, and in some cases you can use Wise to help you send CNY payments from China back to Malaysia.

💳 Get your Wise card today

Sources:

1. Wise - guide to CNY transfers
2. Alipay - pay in the Chinese Mainland
3. WeChat Pay FAQ
4. Wise Malaysia - verification