Do I Need Cash in China? How Much to Bring and Where to Get It
Whether shops still take cash, how much to carry, and how to withdraw yuan with a foreign card.
Short answer
You'll pay for almost everything by phone, but bring some cash as a backup. Since 1 February 2026, businesses that take payments in person are required to accept cash, so it will work if your phone or card lets you down. A few hundred yuan is enough for most trips. Bank of China ATMs are the most reliable for foreign cards and allow up to ¥3,000 per withdrawal.
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- 支付 Payments
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- 2 min
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China is about as close to cashless as any country gets. People pay for coffee, metro rides and street snacks with their phones, and plenty of locals don’t carry a wallet at all.
That doesn’t mean you should arrive with nothing. Phones run out of battery, cards get declined, and a few places you visit will be easier with notes in your pocket.
Shops have to take cash
Rules that came into force on 1 February 2026 require businesses that take payments in person to accept cash and keep enough change. That covers small restaurants, taxis and market stalls as well as big shops.
In practice, a stall that hasn’t handled cash in months may not have change for a ¥100 note. Keep some ¥10 and ¥20 notes and you’ll rarely have trouble.
How much to bring
For most trips, a few hundred yuan is plenty. Use it as a backup rather than your main way to pay. A typical split:
- Alipay or WeChat Pay for everyday spending
- Your card at hotels and larger shops
- Cash for the moments when neither works
Getting yuan with a foreign card
ATMs are the easiest option. Look for the Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, JCB or American Express logo on the machine. Bank of China ATMs are the most dependable for foreign cards.
- Insert your card and choose English.
- Enter the amount. Bank of China allows up to ¥3,000 per withdrawal with a foreign card.
- If the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and choose yuan.
- Take your card and cash. Your own bank may charge a fee for each withdrawal, so fewer, larger withdrawals usually cost less.
Exchanging cash
You can also exchange foreign currency at the airport or at a bank branch. Bring your passport. Airport counters are convenient on arrival, but their rates are usually worse than an ATM’s.
Arriving with a lot of cash
When you enter China, you need to declare foreign currency worth more than US$5,000, or more than ¥20,000 in yuan.
Common questions
Can a shop refuse my cash?
Not legally, under the rules in force since February 2026. If it happens, it's usually a stall that rarely sees cash and has no change. Paying with smaller notes helps.
Should I choose my home currency or yuan at the ATM?
Choose yuan (CNY). If you pick your home currency, the ATM converts it at a worse rate.
How much cash can I bring into China?
You need to declare cash worth more than the equivalent of US$5,000 in foreign currency, or more than ¥20,000, when you arrive.
Can I pay by card instead of cash?
Hotels, big shops and some restaurants take Visa and Mastercard directly. Most small shops, stalls and taxis expect Alipay, WeChat Pay or cash.