WeChat Pay Now Links to Non-Chinese Cards

Tencent’s WeChat Pay is now linking to non-Chinese credit cards for mobile payments.

This means expats in China and foreign residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan can now bind and activate WeChat Pay accounts with credit-card services provided by JCB, MasterCard and Visa.

Tencent says it is the first time WeChat Pay users do not need a Chinese bank account or credit card.

With China going cashless, Alipay and WeChat Pay are now used for online shopping, ride-hailing, buying tickets, renting bikes, food delivery and hotel bookings.

In its five years, WeChat Pay has expanded to 25 countries, serving Chinese tourists.

According to a Tencent data report last year, more than 64 per cent of expats in China use WeChat Pay for their daily needs.