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Glossary

What UnionPay Is for Travellers

You see a red, blue and green card logo at the counter and want to know if your card fits.

Plan my payments

UnionPay is China’s own bank card network. Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of Visa or Mastercard: a logo on a card or a terminal that tells you the card can be used there.

It is not an app. You do not scan a code with UnionPay. You tap, insert or swipe a card, or you use a card through a bank’s own app.

Where you will meet it on a trip

You will see the UnionPay logo on ATMs, shop terminals and bank counters. Some places also take international cards, and ICBC reported equipping 130,000 merchants with terminals that accept international credit cards as of March 2024[1]. Do not assume every shop is one of them.

One practical tip

Treat a card as your second method and cash as your third. Phone payment is the everyday way to pay, so link a card to Alipay or WeChat Pay at home as well.

Banks help with cash. More than 60,000 bank outlets nationwide offer foreign currency exchange, and kiosks at airports and border ports dispense renminbi banknotes[2]. That figure is from March 2024, so confirm what is near you.

Cash is also protected. The central bank says renminbi cash is legal tender, merchants should display a cash-accepted sign, and refusing cash is to be penalised[3]. Check the logos on the back of your own cards, or ask your bank which networks they carry.

Wondering which cards to pack and how much cash to carry? Tell us about your group and we will help you plan a simple payment backup.

Ask about cards

Read next

  • TermWhat Alipay Is and How Visitors Use It

    What Alipay is, why it matters on a China trip, how foreign cards link to it, and the checks to make at home before you fly from Malaysia.

  • TermWhat WeChat Pay Is and Who Needs It

    What WeChat Pay (Weixin Pay) is, how it sits inside WeChat, how a foreign card can be linked, and the setup checks to make before you leave Malaysia.

  • TermWhat Didi Is and How Visitors Hail a Ride

    What Didi is, how visitors reach it through the Alipay mini program without a Chinese phone number, and tips for hailing rides with family and bags.

  • TermWhat Amap Is and Why You May Need It

    What Amap (Gaode) is, why it is the map app China visitors reach for, how its English version helps, and what to download before you fly from Malaysia.

Questions Malaysians ask

Is UnionPay the same as Alipay?

No. UnionPay is a bank card network, like Visa or Mastercard. Alipay is a mobile app that you link a card to. You may see a UnionPay logo on a terminal or ATM, and an Alipay QR code at the same counter. They are two different ways to pay.

Will my Visa or Mastercard work at a UnionPay terminal?

Acceptance varies by terminal and shop, so do not assume. ICBC reported equipping 130,000 merchants with terminals that accept international credit cards as of March 2024. Ask before you order, and keep a second card and some cash in case the first is declined.

Where can I get cash in China?

More than 60,000 bank outlets nationwide offer foreign currency exchange, and kiosks at airports and border ports dispense renminbi banknotes, as of March 2024. Our ATM guide explains how to withdraw with a foreign card. Take your passport to a bank counter.

Sources

  1. Xinhua via english.www.gov.cn, checked 2026-10-19
  2. Xinhua via english.www.gov.cn, checked 2026-10-19
  3. Xinhua via english.www.gov.cn, checked 2026-10-19

Rules, schedules and prices change. Confirm with the official source before you travel.

Thinking about China?

Wondering which cards to pack and how much cash to carry? Tell us about your group and we will help you plan a simple payment backup.

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