What is the Alipay spending limit for foreigners?
Alipay Tour Card (international card): ¥5,000 (~$700) per transaction, ¥50,000 (~$7,000) per MONTH per card. You can bind MULTIPLE international cards (Visa, MC, Amex, JCB) — each has its own limit. 3% currency conversion fee on top-ups. For purchases over ¥5,000: split into multiple payments or use a credit card directly at international stores.
Quick answer
Alipay Tour Card (international card): ¥5,000 (~$700) per transaction, ¥50,000 (~$7,000) per MONTH per card. You can bind MULTIPLE international cards (Visa, MC, Amex, JCB) — each has its own limit. 3% currency conversion fee on top-ups. For purchases over ¥5,000: split into multiple payments or use a credit card directly at international stores.
Detailed answer
Detailed Spending Limits
Per transaction: ¥5,000 (~$700) — this is the maximum for a single payment using an international card via Tour Card.
Per month: ¥50,000 (~$7,000) per card — resets on the 1st of each month. This is per CARD, not per account.
Multiple cards: You can bind up to 5 international cards. Each card has its own ¥50,000/month limit. So with 2 cards, you effectively have ¥100,000/month.
Top-up fee: 3% of the amount charged to your international card. This is charged by Alipay, not your bank. Your bank may also charge a foreign transaction fee (1–3%).
Daily limit: There is no separate daily limit — only the per-transaction and monthly limits apply.
Balance payments: If someone sends you money via Alipay (red packet, transfer), that balance has NO spending limit — you can spend any amount.
Handling Large Purchases
Split payment: For purchases over ¥5,000, ask the merchant to split into multiple transactions. Most POS systems allow this. E.g., ¥8,000 purchase = ¥5,000 + ¥3,000.
Use credit card directly: International hotels, luxury malls, and brand stores (Apple, Nike, etc.) accept foreign Visa/Mastercard directly — no Alipay limit applies. Look for the Visa/Mastercard sticker.
Multiple cards: If you hit the monthly limit on one card, switch to another bound card in Alipay. Or pay part with Alipay and part with card.
Cash: For very large purchases (electronics, jewelry), withdraw cash from an ATM (¥3,000–5,000 per withdrawal) or use bank transfer (if you have a Chinese account).
Ask for help: Most store staff in tourist areas understand 'limit' and will help split payments. Show them the error message on your phone.
Plan ahead: If you know you'll make a large purchase (e.g., shopping in Yiwu), bring multiple cards or arrange payment in advance.
Alipay vs WeChat Pay Limits
Alipay Tour Card: ¥5,000/transaction, ¥50,000/month/card. Higher merchant acceptance for international cards (95%+). Easier setup. Supports more card types.
WeChat Pay: ¥6,000/transaction, ¥50,000/month/card. Slightly higher per-transaction limit but lower merchant acceptance for international cards (some merchants' QR codes don't accept foreign cards).
Recommendation: Set up BOTH. Use Alipay as primary (better acceptance). Use WeChat Pay as backup when Alipay fails or when a merchant only takes WeChat.
Neither requires a Chinese bank account. Both charge ~3% currency conversion fee on international card top-ups.
If you have a Chinese friend: They can send you money via red packet — this adds to your balance with NO spending limits. Useful for large purchases.
Limits are set by Alipay/Tencent and the card networks (Visa/Mastercard), not by individual merchants. They cannot be increased by the store.