Last updated on 6 November 2026
In China, a foreign card gets at most 3,000 yuan (about €403.63) per ATM withdrawal, according to Bank of China. Travel guides from 2025 and 2026 report a fee of 10 to 30 yuan (€1.35 to €4.04) per withdrawal at the large state banks, while Bank of China says the fees are set by your card issuer. Alipay and WeChat Pay accept foreign Visa and Mastercard cards; Alipay charges nothing up to 200 yuan per payment and 3 percent above that. As of 31 October 2026.
So you need less cash than many guides suggest, but both routes cost money: the ATM a fixed fee, the payment apps a percentage on larger amounts. Alipay, WeChat Pay and your bank’s approval app all need mobile data, and Chinese SIM cards run behind the Great Firewall. The POVNOMAD China eSIM starts at €2.90 and routes your data via Hong Kong or Singapore.
Which Chinese banks take foreign cards, and what do they charge?
| Bank | Fee for foreign cards | Max per withdrawal | Notes | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of China | unclear | 3,000 CNY (€403.63) | takes UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Express; says the fee is set by the card issuer, while guides list 20 to 30 CNY | limit ✓✓, fee conflict |
| ICBC | 10 to 30 CNY reported | about 3,000 CNY | no official figure found | ✓✓ |
| China Construction Bank | 10 to 30 CNY reported | about 3,000 CNY | no official figure found | ✓✓ |
| Agricultural Bank of China | 10 to 30 CNY reported | 5,000 CNY (€672.71) | limit from a single guide | ✓ |
| Daily limit | – | up to 20,000 CNY in several withdrawals | Bank of China: daily and annual limits are set by your bank | ✓ |
✓✓ = confirmed by two independent sources, ✓ = single source so far. Basis: POVNOMAD fee dataset (1 September 2026, two guides agreeing on 20 to 30 CNY at the four large state banks), checked on 31 October 2026 against Bank of China’s page for foreign card holders, trip.com (7 August 2026, 20 to 30 CNY) and chinasurvivalkit.com (8 December 2025, 10 to 20 CNY). Euro amounts at the ECB reference rate for 30 October 2026 (€1 = 7.4326 CNY). The fee shown on the ATM screen is what applies.
Our own dataset listed China as “20 to 30 yuan at all four large banks” on 1 September. Bank of China’s own page names no fee of its own and refers to the issuing bank, and the German deal site travel-dealz.de lists China as free. We therefore give a range and no fixed amount.
Can you pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay instead of cash?
Yes. Both apps let you link a foreign Visa or Mastercard card and pay by scanning or showing a QR code. The fees are the point to watch:
| Alipay | WeChat Pay | Check | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment up to 200 CNY (€26.91) | no service fee | no service fee | Alipay ✓✓, WeChat ✓ |
| Payment above 200 CNY | 3 % of the whole amount | 3 % | Alipay ✓✓, WeChat ✓ |
| Limit with passport verification | $5,000 per payment, $50,000 per year | not checked | ✓✓ |
Alipay: trip.com (2 June 2026) and tianwenwangluo.com (24 July 2026); travelofchina.com (1 July 2026) writes that the 3 percent applies only to transfers to people, not to shop payments. WeChat Pay: Global Times (July 2023). We found no fee page from Alipay or WeChat Pay themselves. Your own bank may add its foreign currency fee. The app shows the fee before you confirm.
A 500-yuan dinner paid by Alipay costs 15 yuan (€2.02) extra if the 3 percent applies. A 3,000-yuan ATM withdrawal with a 30-yuan fee costs 1 percent. For small purchases the app is free, for large ones cash from one full withdrawal is cheaper.
What should you press at a Chinese ATM?
If the machine offers to convert the amount into euros, decline and choose yuan (CNY). Then your card network converts at its own rate, and your bank adds what its fee schedule says. Check the displayed fee before you confirm; as long as no cash has come out, cancelling costs nothing. Why the conversion button costs so much is in With or without conversion?
Type the full 3,000 yuan if you need cash at all. With a fixed fee, three withdrawals of 1,000 yuan cost three times as much as one of 3,000.
What does your own bank add?
The 10 to 30 yuan are the Chinese operator’s charge. Your own bank may add a foreign currency fee, because the yuan is not the euro, and a fee for cash withdrawals outside the European Economic Area. Both are in your bank’s fee schedule. Bank of China itself says that withdrawal fees and daily limits for foreign cards come from the issuing bank. We name no conditions of individual card issuers; only your bank can confirm them.
Why do you need a signal for money in China?
Alipay, WeChat Pay and many banks’ approval notifications for withdrawals abroad run over mobile data. Without a connection you can neither pay by QR code nor confirm a withdrawal. The POVNOMAD China eSIM costs €2.90 for 1 GB over 7 days with a Hong Kong IP and runs on China Mobile and China Unicom 5G according to the product page.
The product page also says that some services, including certain banking apps, can be restricted with the Hong Kong IP. If your bank’s app refuses to work, the Singapore IP variant, from €3.50 for 1 GB, is the one the product page lists for banking and PayPal. A Chinese tourist SIM costs 80 to 200 yuan for 7 to 30 days (our SIM guide, 10 October 2026), needs your passport at an operator counter and runs behind the Great Firewall; the details are in China SIM card for tourists. What POVNOMAD, Airalo and Holafly each say about blocked apps is in the China eSIM comparison.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to withdraw cash in China?
Travel guides from 2025 and 2026 report 10 to 30 yuan (about €1.35 to €4.04) per withdrawal at the large state banks. Bank of China says the fee for foreign cards is set by your card issuer. Your own bank may add a foreign currency fee. As of 31 October 2026.
Which ATMs in China accept foreign cards?
Bank of China states that its ATMs accept UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Express cards. Guides also name ICBC, China Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China. One guide of August 2026 says smaller banks sometimes charge more (as of 31 October 2026).
How much can I withdraw at once in China?
Bank of China allows 3,000 yuan (about €403.63) per withdrawal with a foreign card. One guide of August 2026 lists 5,000 yuan at Agricultural Bank of China and up to 20,000 yuan per day over several withdrawals. Your own bank sets the daily limit.
Can tourists use Alipay with a foreign card?
Yes. You link a foreign Visa or Mastercard card in the app. Two guides of June and July 2026 say payments up to 200 yuan are free and larger ones cost 3 percent of the whole amount; one guide says the fee applies only to transfers. The app shows the fee before you pay.
Do I still need cash in China?
Less than before, because Alipay and WeChat Pay accept foreign cards. Cash helps for larger payments above 200 yuan, where the apps may charge 3 percent, while one 3,000-yuan withdrawal with a 30-yuan fee costs 1 percent (as of 31 October 2026).
What should I press at a Chinese ATM?
If the machine offers a conversion into euros, decline and choose yuan (CNY). Then check the fee on the screen before you confirm. As of 31 October 2026, guides report 10 to 30 yuan at the large banks.
How do I know if these fees are still current?
Each row carries a check mark: ✓✓ means two independent sources, ✓ a single source. Our dataset dates from 1 September 2026, and we checked it on 31 October 2026 against Bank of China and travel guides from December 2025 to August 2026. Read the amount on the screen or in the app before you confirm.
This guide is also available in German. Last updated on 31 October 2026. Fees from the POVNOMAD fee dataset (1 September 2026), checked on 31 October 2026 on boc.cn and against travel guides; exchange rate of the ECB for 30 October 2026. Fees may change at any time.