TenPayGo for Foreigners 2026: Pay in China Without a Weixin Account

Updated 3 November 2026 · LocalKey consultant team

TenPayGo is run by Tenpay Payment Technology Co., Ltd., a Tencent company. You can use it at restaurants, shops, taxis, hotels and attractions. The Apple App Store version 1.0 appeared around 21 June 2026, and the Google Play app (com.tencent.wxpai) was last updated on 20 September 2026.

Many visitors ask whether they must finish Weixin real-name setup before they can buy water or pay a taxi. TenPayGo is the simpler answer if signing up for a social app is what is stopping you. It does not replace every WeChat Pay or Alipay use, especially mini-programs and splitting bills with friends.

If you already use Weixin, read our WeChat Pay for foreigners and foreign-card setup guides. If you want to pay at Weixin Pay merchants without the messaging app, start with TenPayGo and keep a second wallet as backup.

How does TenPayGo compare with WeChat Pay and Alipay?

TenPayGo only pays merchants. It scans standard Weixin Pay merchant QR codes from an account that needs only an email address. Unlike WeChat Pay and Alipay, it has no person-to-person transfers, no red packets and no full mini-program engine.

Try TenPayGo first if you are on a short stay, such as a 240-hour visa-free stop, if you do not want to set up a full social account before day one, or if your Weixin sign-up keeps failing with a foreign number. It works where Weixin Pay is accepted, but no app is accepted at every stall.

Put Alipay or in-Weixin Pay first if you need mini-programs (ride-hailing, metro codes, hotel booking), want to split dinner bills, or want red packets. Keep our first-time Alipay and WeChat Pay setup and Alipay for foreigners guides handy. We suggest installing TenPayGo and at least one other wallet before you fly.

What can you pay for with TenPayGo?

Under the TenPayGo Payment User Service Agreement, you can only make consumption payments to qualifying shops, restaurants and other businesses in mainland China, such as meals, retail, taxis and attractions. Top-ups, person-to-person transfers, receiving transfers and red packets are not allowed. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are outside its scope.

Shops and restaurants only

Scan or show your code wherever a commercial Weixin Pay code works. If a stall shows a personal receiving code instead of a business code, the payment will not go through. That is a limit of the app, not a fault with your card.

Mainland China only

The agreement covers merchants in mainland China only. On a Shenzhen–Hong Kong day trip, use a local Hong Kong payment method or another wallet on the Hong Kong side.

Cards, exchange rates and fees

You fund TenPayGo with an international card issued outside the mainland, or with an overseas e-wallet. Cards issued in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan count as outside the mainland. Merchants are paid in Chinese yuan, and conversion to your card's currency happens through partner institutions and your card network. Your card statement is the record of what you were charged. Ask your card issuer or wallet about exchange costs and foreign-transaction fees.

Payments with an international card or Apple Pay may include a service fee, and any fee is shown before you confirm the payment. Fees on an overseas wallet are between you and that wallet. Do not assume WeChat Pay's commonly reported fee band applies to TenPayGo. Check the amount and fee on the confirm screen.

Refunds and support

Refunds go back to the original card or overseas wallet, and any handling fee on the purchase is refunded with it where applicable. Customer service is 95017 or tenpaygo_support@tencent.com. Privacy contacts, including Tenpay_dataprivacy@tencent.com, are listed in the agreement.

How do you set up TenPayGo before you fly?

Download TenPayGo from the Apple App Store or Google Play, register with an email address, add an international bank card or Apple Pay, and complete any verification the app asks for. Then make a small test payment after you land. You do not need a Chinese mobile number.

Do the setup on home Wi-Fi 48 to 72 hours before you fly. Adding a card from an airport on roaming data often triggers a bank block. The steps, in order:

1. Register or sign in with your email address.
2. Add an international bank card, or turn on Apple Pay.
3. Complete any card or Apple Pay verification the app asks for.
4. At a shop: scan the merchant's code, open the merchant's payment page, or show your own payment code.
5. Check the amount, fees and payment method before you pay.
6. Make a small test payment after you land.

Download. Use the Apple App Store or Google Play. The product site also links an APK file (tenpaygo-release-latest.apk). Use that rather than a random APK mirror.

Register. Sign in with your email, enter the code sent to your inbox, and keep that email account accessible for recovery.

Add a card or Apple Pay. Finish your bank's verification (an SMS code or approval in your banking app). Tell your bank that you will be paying at China merchants with QR codes and Apple Pay. The supported card brands and wallets follow the in-app prompts, so do not rely on a blog list.

Pay. At checkout you will usually do one of three things: scan the merchant's business QR code and enter the amount, open a merchant payment page, or show your payment code for the cashier to scan. Never screenshot, save or share your payment code. It refreshes to reduce the risk of reuse.

Test after landing. Once you have roaming data or a local eSIM, buy something small at an airport or station kiosk. That shows both the app and your bank accept the payment. The app also has extras such as menu translation, but payment is its main job.

What should you do if a TenPayGo payment fails?

Check that the merchant is showing a business code, not a personal receiving code. Try a second linked card. If it still fails, switch to Alipay, WeChat Pay or cash while you call your card issuer.

Plan for these problems before you are at a busy counter.

Spending limits. TenPayGo does not publish one daily limit for travellers. Limits follow the in-app prompts, your verification level and your card issuer's risk rules. A big purchase, such as jewellery or a suite deposit, may be more than an international card payment allows in one tap. Ask whether the merchant takes a physical international card at the terminal.

Your bank is the usual culprit. A common reason for a failed China QR payment is that the home bank declined the charge, not the app. Tell your bank your travel dates and cities, link at least two cards from different networks, and keep Alipay or in-Weixin Pay ready if you have set them up.

Personal codes fail. TenPayGo is for merchant payments only. Personal receiving codes, such as at a fruit stall or an informal car park, will not work. Switch to cash or another wallet instead of retrying the same code.

Keep backups:

1. TenPayGo (or Alipay) with your main foreign card.
2. A second wallet with a second card.
3. One physical chip card, for international hotels and some rail ticket windows.
4. A modest amount of Chinese cash.

See the first-time visitor checklist for the wider preparation list.

How does payment fit into a private China tour?

LocalKey does not sell payment products. We plan trips and brief you on payments before you fly. LocalKey Travel is a licensed China travel agency since 2009, and our Private China Tours come in two forms:

• Independent: you travel on your own with the LocalKey app and 7×24 backup, and can add a local guide or a private car when you need one.
• Private Guided: private guides and a car across the trip.

Your pre-trip pack from your specialist can include: download TenPayGo from the official stores, link a card or Apple Pay, complete verification, tell your bank you are travelling, and decide whether Alipay or WeChat Pay stay as backup. During the trip, you can reach a specialist on WeChat or WhatsApp if a merchant code fails or your bank freezes a card. Major tour items, such as vehicles, booked rail, hotels and many admissions, are arranged and paid in advance, so your wallet covers personal meals, small shopping and anything off the itinerary.

To ask about Independent or Private Guided, use our contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use TenPayGo without a Chinese phone number or domestic bank card?

Yes. Register with an overseas email and link an international card, Apple Pay or a participating e-wallet. You do not need a mainland Chinese mobile number or a Chinese bank account.

Can I transfer money to friends or split dinner bills with TenPayGo?

No. The TenPayGo Payment User Service Agreement limits the app to payments to businesses. There is no stored-value top-up, no person-to-person transfer and no red packets. To send money to a person, use a fully verified WeChat or Alipay account.

Are there service fees when paying with an international card on TenPayGo?

Payments with an international card or Apple Pay may include a service fee, and any fee is shown before you confirm. Trust the TenPayGo checkout screen, and do not assume another wallet's fees apply.

What should I do if my payment fails at a merchant counter?

Confirm it is a business code, not a personal receiving code. Try a second linked card, open Alipay or WeChat Pay, or pay cash while you call your card issuer. TenPayGo support is at 95017 and tenpaygo_support@tencent.com.