Chinese Currency and Payment

RMB Denominations

5th series RMB (2019 edition): bills ¥100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 1; coins ¥1, ¥0.5, ¥0.1. ¥100 is the most common large denomination; ¥20 is rare (some vending machines don’t accept it). When receiving ¥100, check security features: hold to light for watermark, tilt for color-shifting ink, feel the raised intaglio print on the front.

Mobile Payment in Practice

Alipay+ (international) and WeChat Pay both support foreign Visa/Mastercard — no Chinese bank account needed. Once set up, scan merchant QR codes or show your payment code to pay at supermarkets, restaurants, taxis, attractions, food delivery, and more. Single transaction limit ~¥6,000.

Cash Backup Advice

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