The best credit cards that work in China [2023]

Getting ready for a trip to China? One of the most crucial things to do is sort your travel spending.

We’ve put together a guide to the best credit cards to use in China, looking at everything from annual fees and interest rates to travel rewards. We’ll also take a look at alternatives such as the Wise international debit card which could save you money.

What credit cards can you use in China?

Many US credit cards are accepted in China, including all major providers such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover.

The best credit cards for your China trip

Now, let’s take a look at the best American credit cards which work in China.

We’ve included cards which offer rewards on travel spending, as these can help your money go further. This list also doesn’t include prepaid credit cards in China, although this could be another option to explore for your travel spending.

Wise international debit card

While it’s not a credit card, it’s well worth checking out the Wise international debit card ahead of your trip.

The Wise card is tailor-made for traveling, as it offers the following features:

• Spend and withdraw cash in 174 countries, anywhere that Visa and Mastercard are accepted.
• Automatically converts your USD to the local currency to Chinese yuan at the mid-market exchange rate whenever you spend. There’s just a small conversion fee, or it’s free if you already have the currency in your Wise account.
• Withdraw $100 a month from overseas ATMs for free, with a tiny fee after that.

So, you can shop, dine and travel knowing you're getting a great exchange rate. And there’s no need to convert currency or carry cash around with you.

Open a Wise Account and you can order a Wise card for a one-time fee of just $9.

Get a Wise Account today

Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing: Only Pay for What You Use for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card¹

One of two Capital One credit cards on our list, the Venture card comes with an annual charge of $95 and APR of 20.74% - 28.74% on purchases.

In return, it offers a long list of rewards and benefits. These include:

• Initial bonus of 75,000 miles (worth $750 in travel) when you spend $4,000 within 3 months of opening an account
• Unlimited 2x miles earned on every purchase
• Earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Up to $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
• Two free visits a year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges.

You can use any earned miles as reimbursement for travel purchases, or redeem them when booking trips through Capital One Travel.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card also charges no foreign transaction fees.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card²

The second credit card from Capital One is another good pick for travel. There’s no annual fee, although there is a balance transfer fee of 3%. Another benefit is the 0% introductory APR for 15 months, with a rate of 19.74% - 29.74% after that.

Other key features include:

• Initial $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within 3 months of signing up
• Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases
• Up to 6 months of free Uber One membership statement credits
• Unlimited 5% cashback on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card³

BoA’s Travel Rewards card has no annual fee or foreign transaction charges. There’s an interest fee period of 18 billing cycles, although the variable APR of 17.74% - 27.74% after that could end up on the high side.

In terms of rewards, you’ll get:

• An initial 25,000 online bonus points worth $250 when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of signing up
• Unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spending on anything
• Preferred Rewards members can earn between 25% and 75% more points on spending.

Your points can be redeemed for credit to put towards travel or dining purchases.

Citi Premier® Card⁴

Citi Premier® Card has an annual fee of $95 and an interest rate of 20.74% - 28.74% variable APR. There are no foreign transaction fees, but there’s a balance transfer fee of 5%.

In return, you’ll get the following rewards:

• Initial bonus of 60,000 points worth $600 in gift cards, after you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months
• Earn points on spending on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
• Annual hotel savings benefit.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card⁵

The reward credit card from Chase costs $95 a year, but there are no foreign transaction fees to pay when you spend overseas. The interest rate is 20.74% - 27.74% variable APR, and there’s a balance transfer fee of 5%.

In return, you’ll get the following rewards:

• Initial points bonus of 80,000 (worth $1,000 when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards) when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months
• 5x points on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 3x points on dining and 2x points on all other travel purchases
• $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
• Free access to DashPass.

FAQs

What credit card is most used in China?

UnionPay is the most widely used card issuer in China.⁶ It issues both debit cards and credit cards. When you open a bank account in China (whether a personal or business bank account) you’re likely to be issued with a UnionPay card. Although of course, it depends on the bank.

How many credit cards are there in China?

As of 2022, there were around 800 million credit cards in use in China.⁷

What is replacing credit cards and cash in China?

Are credit cards used in China? Yes, but another payment method is starting to take over.

Mobile wallets are fast becoming the go-to payment method in the country. They’ve become a vital part of the money and banking system in China, possibly due to the convenience of going card-free and being able to pay using just your phone.

One of the most popular is Alipay. You can read more about how Wise works with Alipay here.

Sources used for this article:

Sources checked on 30-Apr-2023.