


How to add money to my Alipay account with a foreign card?
Jul 03, 2025 am 01:12 AMAlipay now allows adding money with foreign cards through specific steps. First, ensure your Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card supports online transactions, is not prepaid, and allows cross-border payments to China. 1. Open the Alipay app and go to My Wallet. 2. Tap Top Up and enter the amount. 3. Choose CNY as the currency. 4. Select Credit/Debit Card (International) as the payment method. 5. Enter card details carefully. If the transaction fails, check if your bank blocks international online payments. Common issues include declined transactions due to bank settings, currency conversion fees, low daily limits, and suspicious activity alerts from your bank. To ease frequent top-ups, save a successful transaction as a template for easier future use.
Adding money to your Alipay account using a foreign card used to be tricky, but it’s gotten more doable in recent years. The key is knowing which cards are accepted and how to navigate the steps without running into errors.

Supported Cards and Requirements
Alipay does accept some international cards, but not all. Generally, you can use Visa, Mastercard, or American Express cards issued outside of China. However, there are a few conditions:

- The card must support online transactions (some banks block this by default)
- It should be a credit or debit card — prepaid cards often don’t work
- The issuing bank must allow cross-border transactions to China-based merchants
Also, make sure your Alipay account is verified with your real name and ID — otherwise, you may face restrictions on adding funds.
Step-by-Step: How to Add Money
Here’s how to actually add money from a foreign card:

- Open the Alipay app and go to My Wallet
- Tap Top Up and enter the amount you want to add
- Choose your preferred currency (usually CNY is best unless you have a reason to pick another)
- When selecting payment method, look for the option that says Credit/Debit Card (International)
- Enter your card details carefully — double-check the number and CVV code
- Confirm and wait for the transaction to process
If it fails, check if your bank has blocked the transaction. Some banks require you to manually enable international online payments through their mobile apps or customer service.
Common Issues and What to Do
You might run into a few common snags:
- Transaction declined: This is usually due to your bank blocking the charge. Log into your bank’s app or contact support to see if international online payments are enabled.
- Currency conversion issues: Alipay may offer to convert the amount using its own rate. Alternatively, your card issuer might apply its own exchange rate. Either way, you’ll usually end up paying a small fee.
- Daily limits: Even if successful, most foreign cards have relatively low daily limits for topping up Alipay — often around $50–$100 USD equivalent.
- Unfamiliar transaction alerts: Your bank might flag the top-up as suspicious. If so, confirm it via SMS or your bank’s app to avoid future blocks.
If you're doing this frequently, consider setting up one successful transaction as a template — some banks recognize recurring charges more easily.
That’s basically how it works. Not always smooth, but manageable if you know what to expect.
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