The most frequently question on the (hyper-popular) article on how foreigners can use Alipay is "what if I don't have a Chinese bank card"? Here's the easiest solution so far. It's called Tourcard (formerly called Tourpass).
It rolled out a while ago, and we waited for this to prove itself in the real world. There have been many promises over the years about opening Alipay up to foreign cards, but now five people we know have done it successfully. Seems legit! The intended user is a traveler or someone who, for some reason, doesn't want to sign up for a bank card in China, but there's no reason you can't use it. It's super easy.
Option #1: Tourcard
Tourcard (previously called Tourpass) is a service provided by the Bank of Shanghai intended to by used by travelers or anyone who needs to make payments in China and doesn't have a Chinese bank account.
It's super easy.
Who can use it? From the app:
Anyone above the age of 18 with a foreign passport and a foreign credit card. They currently support:
- Visa Card
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- International
- JCB
and your bank needs to support 3D secure.
They charge 5% per transaction, and the limit it capped at 10k total.
You won't need a Chinese phone number for TourCard, but you do need one for setting up your Alipay or WeChat account before you can use TourCard.
Also note that it expires 180 days after the setup.
Search for it on Alipay or WeChat, then follow the verification steps before you can top it up with your credit card.
