China Launches Digital Tourist Card for Seamless Payments
policy • 10 March 2026
China has launched a new Digital Tourist Card that allows international visitors to make cashless payments across the country without needing a Chinese bank account. The card, available through WeChat Pay and Alipay, can be loaded with funds via Visa, Mastercard, or UnionPay. Australian travellers can set up the card at major airports upon arrival or pre-register online before their trip. The card works at over 40 million merchants nationwide, including restaurants, shops, taxis, and tourist attractions. This development addresses one of the most common pain points reported by international visitors to China. Previously, foreign tourists often struggled with cashless payments, as many vendors had stopped accepting cash. The new system supports transactions of up to AUD ,500 per day.