All about WeChat Pay in Malaysia

Looking for an e-wallet replacement? See how you can use send, hold, and receive money with Wise

WeChat Pay is now available in Malaysia, and that means you can send money to other WeChat users, and shop online or in stores, without needing to carry your wallet or bank cards.

If you’re thinking of starting to use WeChat Pay Malaysia, this guide covers all you need to know, including:

• WeChat Pay has finally landed in Malaysia, but what can you do with it?
• How to start using WeChat Pay in Malaysia
• How to top up WeChat Pay
• How to send money with WeChat Pay
• How to sign up for WeChat Pay as a merchant in Malaysia

WeChat Pay doesn’t allow international payments from Malaysia at present. Therefore, we’ll also take a look at a smart way to send money to friends and family overseas cheaply using Wise, which can be used to send CNY to WeChat accounts in China. Let’s dive right in.

WeChat Pay has finally landed in Malaysia, but what can you do with it?

With WeChat Pay Malaysia you’ll be able to do the following:¹

• Send money electronically to your WeChat contacts
• Receive WeChat Pay payments from friends or customers
• Pay in stores by showing your WeChat Pay QR code
• Shop online with ecommerce sellers
• Withdraw your WeChat Pay balance to your regular bank account

If you’re a merchant, you can sign up to WeChat Pay to receive payments online and in person using the WeChat Pay portal and POS equipment.²

How to use WeChat Pay in Malaysia

Getting started with WeChat Pay is easy. You’ll need to download the WeChat app which is available on both Apple and Android devices, and then add your bank card to activate your WeChat wallet.

How to set up WeChat wallet in Malaysia

Here’s all you need to do³:

1. Download the WeChat app
2. Click “Sign up” and choose to sign up with email or Facebook
3. Follow the prompts to enter the details needed
4. Create a secure password
5. Click on “Bank Cards”
6. Set your 6 digit PIN and confirm
7. Select “Add a Bank Card”
8. Fill in the required details such as a card number, expiry date etc.
9. WeChat Pay is ready to use!

How to send money with WeChat Pay

You’ll be able to send money to any of your WeChat contacts using WeChat Pay. This means it’s easy to split a bill, send a gift or share the costs of your shopping. Here’s how:⁴

1. Open a chat with your friend
2. Tap on the plus (+) icon
3. Click on the Money Packet icon
4. Enter the amount you want to send and message
5. Tap on “Prepare Money Packet”
6. Tap on “Pay Now”
7. Enter your 6 digit PIN
8. Done!

How to top up WeChat Pay

The good news is that you don’t need to actively top up your WeChat Pay account to use it. Once you add your bank card to WeChat, funds are automatically deducted from your bank account once you make a payment. Easy.

How to scan QR codes in the WeChat Pay MY app

You can also use WeChat to pay merchants, simply by scanning their WeChat QR code:

• Open the WeChat app
• Select “Scan QR code”
• Scan the QR code the merchant has generated for you
• Click to confirm you want to pay
• Enter your password for security
• You’re done!

Can you send money abroad with WeChat Pay?

It is not currently possible to make an international transfer with WeChat Pay Malaysia⁵. You’ll only be able to send payments in MYR to Malaysian WeChat account holders.

If you need to send a payment to someone in a foreign currency, you’ll need a different solution. Read on for a smart and convenient way to make cross border payments online, with Wise.

Send money abroad with the real exchange rate: Wise (formerly Wise)

A crucial thing to remember when sending money abroad is to always check exchange rates. The true cost of an international transaction isn’t just the upfront transfer fees. See how Wise compares against major Malaysian banks:

When you factor in exchange rates, you’ll see that your recipient actually receives more when using Wise even when sending the same amount. So, in this case, the total cost is actually cheaper with Wise.

With Wise, you can send money to 70+ countries with low, transparent fees and the mid-market exchange rate. More importantly, Wise is a great way to send CNY to individual recipients in China directly to their WeChat (Weixin) accounts!

To send money with Wise,

1. Create a free account
2. Choose an amount to send
3. Add recipient’s bank details
4. Verify your identity
5. Pay for your transfer by bank transfer or debit/credit card

And that is it! You can track your transfer in your account and your recipient will also be notified when a transfer reaches them.

Spend in foreign currencies? Receive money from abroad? Wise can help that too!

An independent research found that it is on average 3x cheaper to send, spend, and withdraw money overseas with Wise compared to 6 other provider and Malaysia bank accounts.

• Send money to 80+ countries
• Receive money for free in 11 currencies (including MYR, USD & SGD)
• Hold and convert 50+ currencies in a single account
• Spend in foreign currencies with super-low conversion fees

No monthly charges or minimum balances required 😉

Join 11 million people who use Wise and save 1 billion GBP (≈5.6 billion MYR) a year compared to using a bank.

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Frequently asked questions

How to sign up for WeChat Pay as a merchant in Malaysia

If you’re a merchant and want to get a WeChat Pay account to receive payments online, you’ll need to take the following steps to get started:²

1. Sign up to WeChat Pay for merchants, through one of the authorized merchant acquirers
2. Decide which products you will accept WeChat Pay payments for
3. Follow the steps set out by your chosen merchant acquirer, to set up POS equipment and a merchant portal
4. You’re all set to start accepting easy payments throughWeChat Pay.

How to delete WeChat Pay account in Malaysia

If you need to delete your WeChat Pay Malaysia account remember to clear your balance first, as any remaining funds will be lost once your account is closed. Once you’re ready to close your account:

• Log in to WeChat and go to the “Me” header
• Tap on WeChat Pay and then the "..." menu in the top right corner
• Select “WeChat Pay Cancellation”, and follow the instructions to cancel your WeChat Pay account.

How to receive money on WeChat Pay in Malaysia

All users, both merchants and personal users, can receive money on WeChat Pay. Here’s how:⁷

1. Click “Receive Money”
2. Show your QR code to your customer or your friend
3. That’s it! They can send you money

WeChat Pay is a simple, smart option for people looking to make hassle free contactless and online payments in MYR. You’ll be able to send money packets to friends, buy your groceries, or top up your mobile phone. However, you can’t yet use WeChat Pay to send or receive money in a foreign currency.

If you’re looking for a way to arrange an international payment, you’ll love the low cost, convenient service from Wise. Send and receive payments all over the world, using the mid-market exchange rate. You’ll only ever pay a low, transparent fee, which can work out up to 7x cheaper than using your regular bank.

Join over 11 million people
who get the real exchange rate🌏