Scanning QR codes using a mobile payment app has become the most common payment method in mainland China.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
BEIJING — Foreign visitors to China can now spend up to $2,000 a year using the Alipay mobile app without having to register an ID, the app’s operator said Friday.
This is four times more than the previous $500 limit and the move will affect foreign tourists the most. The number of foreign travelers to China has fallen after the country temporarily imposed strict border controls during the pandemic.
The increase in transaction limits reflects Beijing’s push this year to make it easier for foreign travelers to pay for everyday purchases in a country where mobile payments have become ubiquitous.
However, strict real name verification policies often make it difficult for foreign visitors to China to use mobile payments.
Alipay, which is operated by Alibabais a subsidiary of Ant Group, one of the two largest mobile payment applications in China. TencentThe company’s WeChat Pay operates another frequently used app.
Tencent did not confirm the exact number of ID-less transactions using WeChat Pay, but noted that foreigners can make some payments without registering their ID.
Ant also announced on Friday that international travelers who register their ID with Alipay can use the app for one-time transactions of up to US$5,000, up from US$1,000 previously.
The annual transaction limit for those who register their IDs is now $50,000 — five times the previous $10,000 total, Ant said.
Changes in transaction amounts follow announcements this month from the People’s Bank of China for such a promotion.
Ant said the changes apply to overseas visitors to China who download Alipay or use 10 specific overseas mobile payment apps.
The program, called Alipay+, allows existing users of select mobile payment apps in Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Mongolia, Hong Kong and Macau to scan Alipay QR codes directly to pay in China.
In early February, People’s Bank of China Deputy Governor Zhang Qingsong told CNBC that foreign visitors using Alipay or WeChat Pay do not need to provide identification information if the annual transaction volume is less than US$500.
“We are also considering raising the $500 threshold in the future,” he said at the time.