Quick Answer
China is effectively a cashless country.
In daily life—big cities, small towns, malls, street stalls—almost everything can be paid by phone.
Most locals do not carry cash at all.
As a foreigner, you only need a small amount of cash as backup, not as a primary payment method.
The Core Reality (This Is Hard to Believe Until You See It)
In China:
- Phones are the default wallet
- QR codes are everywhere
- Cash is accepted legally but rarely used
- Many people go months without touching cash
This applies to:
- Major cities and small cities
- Shopping malls and street vendors
- Restaurants, taxis, markets, buses
- Even temporary roadside stalls
Mobile payment coverage is close to 100%.
What Locals Actually Do
A typical Chinese local:
- Pays with phone for coffee
- Pays with phone for metro
- Pays with phone for taxi
- Pays with phone at a street stall
- Does not carry a wallet
Cash is no longer part of daily routine.
Why Cash Is No Longer the Default
Cash disappeared because:
- Mobile payments are faster
- No change is needed
- No counting errors
- Works online and offline
- Accepted everywhere people actually shop
This shift happened years ago, not recently.
When Cash Is Still Useful (Rare but Real)
Cash can help in a few edge cases:
- Very remote rural areas
- Temporary network outages
- Old-style public toilets
- Extremely small, informal vendors
- As a psychological safety net
These are exceptions, not the rule.
How Much Cash You Should Carry
For most visitors:
- Small amount only
- Enough for emergencies, not daily use
Think of cash as:
Insurance, not fuel
If you rely on mobile payment, you will rarely touch it.
Why You Should NOT Carry Large Amounts of Cash
Carrying lots of cash:
- Increases theft risk
- Creates stress
- Is unnecessary
- Signals unfamiliarity, not preparedness
Locals do not do this—and neither should you.
Common Mistakes Foreigners Make
- Bringing large amounts of cash “just in case”
- Trying to pay cash everywhere
- Assuming small vendors want cash
- Feeling anxious without cash in hand
These assumptions are outdated.
Failure Scenarios & Fixes
- Wallet payment fails once: switch wallet or try again later.
- Network temporarily down: wait or move locations.
- Vendor hesitates at cash: show phone QR instead.
- You feel uneasy: remember locals are fully cashless.
Cash anxiety fades quickly after day one.
Reality Check
- You will see QR codes everywhere.
- People around you will pay with phones.
- Cash drawers may look unused.
- Staff may pause when you offer cash.
This is normal.
What Locals Do Instead
- They trust mobile payment.
- They do not plan around cash.
- They carry none or very little.
- They solve issues digitally.
You can do the same.
Checklist
- Mobile wallet set up and tested.
- Small amount of cash carried (optional).
- No dependence on cash for daily spending.
- Backup payment method ready.
- Anxiety consciously lowered.