Ask the company that provides your card terminal or online checkout whether it can switch on Alipay+ and WeChat Pay. Outside mainland China these wallets reach merchants through acquirers and payment platforms, not through a direct sign-up. If your current provider cannot, choose one that lists them for your country and business type.
- I take payments in a shopCompare the three routes
- Who scans whom?The two QR modes
- Worried about chargebacksRefunds and disputes
- Ready to ask my providerCopy the email
Alipay, Alipay+ and WeChat Pay are not the same thing
Alipay and WeChat Pay are wallets that customers carry on their phones. Alipay+ is a gateway for merchants: it describes itself as a single integration connecting merchants to more than 50 mobile payment providers. Depending on your provider, enabling Alipay+ can let you accept Alipay and several Asian e-wallets at once. WeChat Pay is connected separately.
When you speak to a provider, name the wallets your customers actually use rather than asking for “Chinese payments”.
Three ways merchants usually get set up
| Route | Good fit when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Your existing terminal provider adds the wallets | You already have a card machine and want one bill and one settlement | Older terminals may not display QR codes; ask which models support it |
| An online payment platform | You take bookings or deposits online. Stripe, for example, documents Alipay and WeChat Pay as payment methods with country-specific availability | Availability depends on your business location; some categories are prohibited by the wallet operators |
| A specialist QR payment provider | Your main provider cannot offer the wallets | A second contract, a second settlement report and possibly a separate stand at the counter |
Stripe’s documentation lists Alipay customers as “Chinese consumers, overseas Chinese, and Chinese travelers” and gives presentment currencies such as AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, SGD, MYR, NZD and USD depending on business location. Check the current page for your country.
In the shop: who scans whom
WeChat Pay describes two in-store methods, and Alipay+ terminals work the same way:
- Customer shows a code, you scan it. WeChat Pay calls this Quick Pay: the customer opens a payment code and the merchant scans it. Fast at a busy counter if your terminal or scanner reads QR codes.
- You show a code, the customer scans it. The customer opens the app, scans your QR code, confirms the amount and pays. Useful when you have no scanner, but make sure the amount is right before they confirm.
Ask your provider which mode your setup uses and practise one test payment with staff before the first busy weekend.
Refunds and disputes
According to Stripe’s documentation, Alipay and WeChat Pay payments support full and partial refunds but have no dispute (chargeback) process, because the customer authenticates each payment in the app. If a customer has a complaint, the wallet may direct them back to you. That makes a clear refund policy at the counter more important, not less.
| Situation | What to have ready |
|---|---|
| Customer paid twice | Staff know how to issue a refund from the terminal or dashboard |
| Customer wants a partial refund | Check your provider supports partial refunds for wallet payments |
| Customer disputes the amount later | Keep the receipt; there is no chargeback route, so you resolve it directly |
Copy this email to your payment provider
Email templateSubject: Enabling Alipay+ / WeChat Pay for our location Hello, We are [business name] at [address], merchant ID [number]. Many of our customers pay with Chinese mobile wallets. Please tell us: 1. Can you enable Alipay+ and WeChat Pay on our account? Which wallets are included? 2. Does our current terminal model [model] support QR payments, and which scan mode (we scan the customer, or the customer scans us)? 3. What are the fees, the settlement currency and the settlement timing? 4. Are there any business-category restrictions that apply to us? 5. How do refunds and partial refunds work for wallet payments? 6. Can you provide counter signage showing the accepted wallets? Thank you, [name, phone]
Once the wallets are live, show the logos at the entrance and the counter, and mention them in your Chinese business profile. Customers often decide whether to come in based on that.
Questions merchants ask
Can I just put my personal Alipay QR code at the counter?
No. Use a merchant setup through a provider so payments are recorded, refundable and settled to your business account. Personal accounts are not meant for running a business.
Do I need a Chinese bank account?
Not when you accept the wallets through a local acquirer or payment platform; settlement normally goes to your existing business account in local currency. Confirm with your provider.
Which matters more, Alipay or WeChat Pay?
Both are widely used by mainland visitors. If you can only add one first, ask your provider which is easier for your terminal, then add the second. Many providers offer both together.
Sources
- Alipay paymentsStripe Documentation · checked 2026-10-15
- WeChat Pay paymentsStripe Documentation · checked 2026-10-15
- Alipay+ — the unified wallet gatewayAlipay+ · checked 2026-10-15
- WeChat Pay Open Platform (payment products)WeChat Pay · checked 2026-10-15
Still check yourself: Fees, settlement currency and contract terms with your own provider; whether your business category is allowed; and whether your terminal model supports the wallets you want.