What is Alipay? And why do you need it?

Most people with a vague awareness of China have largely heard of the famous online retailer Alibaba and of course, it's founding entrepreneur Jack Ma. Part of the Alibaba groups growing number of services is now a application known as "Alipay", which as the name suggests, allows you to make payments in a similar light to what western companies such as Paypal do, but with far superior convenience attached to it. Along with its counterpart Wepay (attached to Wechat), the service has revolutionized commerce in Chinese society by making cashless payments widespread in numerous contexts. In order to live conveniently as a foreigner in China and maintain access to a number of services which increasingly rely on cashless transactions, you will need to make sure you get Alipay on your phone. Here, our handy guide details how to get Alipay and how you use it!

What you need: A Chinese phone number and bank account

In order to set up Alipay, you first need two things, a Chinese phone number and a bank account. Without the latter, you cannot open the former either. Don't panic, a bank account is relatively straight forwards. Once you have both of these, download the app and use your phone number to create the account. Then, on the app select "me", "bank cards" and add a new one. You will be taken to a page which asks you to add in your bank details in order to connect it to your Alipay. As a foreigner, this will also request you to add the identification details (passport) connected to your bank account.

As a note of caution: Alipay will ask you to type in your name in the exact format by which it is found on the bank records. Sometimes, you may find as a result it does not accept your standard name. For example, if your name is "John Smith", a Chinese bank may have formatted your name as SMITHJohn and as a result, Alipay will not recognize your details. To fix this, get your bank to print you a copy of their record and type your name in as it is displayed. Also make sure that you have a phone number registered with your bank account. Once both of these are sorted, this will allow you to fully connect your card with Alipay.

So how do you use Alipay?

Now that you have your card connected, think of Alipay as a virtual wallet. Using the app, you can withdraw money directly from your bank account and keep it in your Alipay. From this point on the cash is then usable in a number of ways. If you click "pay" you will find that the app creates a QR code. This be scanned against cashiers and even other phones, allowing you to make a virtual payment. You will find that this can be done in just about every shop in China, as well as in taxis, when you deliver food and so on! It can also be used to pay bills such as topping up your phone! It is that simple! On the flip side, you can also use it to receive money from others too! Alipay can also be used to transfer to other bank accounts as well, including international ones. Once you're in the flow of it, you will find that Alipay is the most convenient thing ever made! You'll never need to use an ATM again, or even handle paper money!

Conclusions: Live a convenient China life

Alipay leads the way in cashless innovation, far ahead of even most developed countries. By living in China, you can certainly experience the benefits of technological achievement. Alipay can make your life better organised, less stressful and much more convenient!