FAQ regarding how to Add an Overseas Bankcard to Alipay

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This post will give you a quick guide on how to add an overseas bankcard to Alipay and answer a few related questions.

The supported bankcard issuers at the time of publishing this post:

  • JCB
  • MasterCard
  • Visa

If your card does not belong to the list above then this procedure will not work.

How to add an overseas bankcard to Alipay?

  1. Open your Alipay app, tap [Me] – [Bank cards] – [Add new bank card].
  2. Enter your JCB, MasterCard or Visa card number and bank card information as prompted, such as name, expiry date and CVV2. You can view specific requirements by tapping the exclamation mark at the end of the prompt.
  3. After filling in the required information, tap [Next] to complete the card binding process. Then, you can use the card for payment.

Here is a video from Alipay about the process:

What are the supported payment scenarios and limitations of using overseas bank cards with Alipay?

  • You can only pay for transactions in the Chinese mainland.
  • If you are using a JCB card, you can only use it for payment on Taobao and 12306.
  • If you are using a MasterCard or Visa card, you can use it for both online, offline payment (showing the payment code), and automatic payment services provided by DiDi.
  • Currently the wealth management, transfer to other accounts and red envelopes are not supported.
  • The average limit for a single transaction is between 5,000 and 20,000 RMB per day with a maximum limit of 100,000 RMB per month (depending on the bankcard issuer)

What is the exchange rate for overseas bank cards?

The exchange rate at the time of the payment will be calculated based on the real-time exchange rate of the card group and card issuer. You may refer to the card statement for more details.

If your transaction is refunded, the exchange rate will be calculated based on the rate of the day of the refund. The bankcard owner will bear the exchange rate fluctuations and bank charges.

What is the service fee for using an overseas bankcard with Alipay?

If you pay on Taobao or 12306, you will be charged a service fee of 3%. In other platforms, the service fee may vary so you may refer to the actual prompt on the payment page to figure out the exact service fee.