Short answer
Carry ¥300–500 in small notes as a float, not as your main way to pay. It covers the older taxi driver who does not use QR codes, the rural stall, the village market — and the moment a QR payment fails at a till.
ATMs are everywhere and Bank of China, ICBC and China Construction Bank machines generally accept foreign cards. You will pay twice: a fee from your own bank for the overseas withdrawal, and sometimes a local fee on top.
Cards still swipe normally at hotels, large malls and chain stores. Small restaurants generally will not take a physical card. For everything else, bind your card to Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Do you actually need cash in China?
Less than you expect, but not none. China is close to cashless, and a visitor who relies purely on QR payments will get through most days fine. The problem is the exceptions cluster in exactly the places where being stuck is worst: a small town, a market, a taxi at 11pm.
So treat cash as insurance rather than a payment method. A few hundred yuan sitting in your bag costs you nothing and removes a whole category of bad days.
| Situation | What works |
|---|---|
| Hotel, large mall, chain store | Physical Visa/Mastercard, or QR |
| Convenience store, chain restaurant | QR (Alipay/WeChat Pay) |
| Small local restaurant | QR, sometimes cash |
| Older taxi driver | Cash |
| Rural vendor, village market stall | Cash |
| Anything when the QR fails | Cash |
How much cash should you carry?
¥300–500, in small notes. That is enough for several taxi rides, a market visit and a couple of meals, without carrying a sum you would be upset to lose.
The denominations matter as much as the total. A ¥100 note is awkward for a ¥12 taxi fare, and small vendors may genuinely not have change. Aim for a mix of ¥10, ¥20 and ¥50 notes with a couple of ¥100s held back.
Which ATMs accept foreign cards?
ATMs are widely available in cities, at airports, in train stations and in most bank branches. The three large state banks are the reliable choices for foreign cards:
- Bank of China — the most consistently foreign-card friendly, and the bank most used to international visitors.
- ICBC — very large network, generally fine with foreign cards.
- China Construction Bank — also generally accepts foreign cards.
Look for an English-language option on the screen, most machines in cities offer it. If a machine only shows Chinese, the first option is almost always withdrawal, but it is safer to find one with English.
Two practical points. Many Chinese ATMs dispense cash in a mix of denominations rather than all ¥100s, which is helpful. And your card needs a 4-digit PIN for the Chinese network, if your PIN is longer, set a compatible one with your bank before you travel.
What a withdrawal costs you
Two fees can apply to a single withdrawal, and only one of them is visible at the machine.
| Fee | Who charges it | When |
|---|---|---|
| Overseas withdrawal fee | Your home bank | Always, unless your account waives it |
| Foreign transaction markup | Your home bank | On the converted amount |
| Local ATM fee | The Chinese bank | Sometimes, and usually shown on screen before you confirm |
Because your home bank's fee is often a flat charge per withdrawal plus a percentage, fewer and larger withdrawals beat many small ones. Taking ¥2,000 once is usually cheaper than taking ¥500 four times.
Using an ATM in China, step by step
- Tell your bank you are travellingMost declined foreign cards in China are blocked by the cardholder's own bank as suspected fraud. One phone call or app setting removes the most common failure.
- Confirm your card is enabled for overseas useCheck that overseas cash withdrawals are switched on, and that your PIN is four digits.
- Choose a machine inside a bank branch or a busy public placeDaytime, staffed locations are the right call for your first withdrawal in a new city.
- Select English, then the withdrawal amountDecline any offer to convert the currency for you.
- Take the cash and the receipt, and check your balance laterCompare what actually left your account against the amount dispensed so you catch any surprise fee early.
When the ATM rejects your card
Work through this in order, because it is almost always one of the first three:
- Try a different bank's machine. Some networks handle foreign cards better than others, and a machine that is simply out of cash will also decline you.
- Try a smaller amount. Per-withdrawal limits are set by both your bank and the machine, and a request above the machine's ceiling fails.
- Call your bank. If a fraud block has been triggered, nothing at the machine will fix it.
- Use a counter instead. Inside a bank branch, during business hours, you can withdraw over the counter with your passport. Bring it, you will need it.
- Fall back on QR payments or your existing cash. This is exactly why the ¥300–500 float exists.
Keeping your cash safe
China is a low-risk country for street crime, and violent robbery of tourists is rare. The realistic risks are quieter: leaving a wallet in a taxi, or being handed a counterfeit note in a tourist market.
- Split your cash. Keep most of it somewhere other than the wallet you carry daily.
- Use a hotel safe for your passport copy and spare cash.
- Check notes you receive at markets and from informal sellers. Large notes from a legitimate bank ATM or a bank counter are not a concern; notes from an unlicensed street seller are.
- Keep a card and some cash separate from each other. Losing one should never mean losing access to money entirely.
Cash, cards and QR together
The setup that works is layered, and every layer costs you nothing to maintain:
| Layer | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Alipay / WeChat Pay with a foreign card bound | Everyday payments — see the ¥200 fee rule in our payments guide |
| Physical card | Hotels, large malls, chain stores, ATM withdrawals |
| ¥300–500 in small notes | Older taxi drivers, rural vendors, markets, and any QR failure |
One last point that catches people out: do not try to run on cash alone. Plenty of places now genuinely cannot make change for a ¥100 note, and a queue forming behind you is not the moment to argue about it.
Frequently asked questions
How much cash should I bring to China?
¥300–500 in small notes is the practical float. Bring it in a mix of ¥10, ¥20 and ¥50 notes rather than all ¥100s. Cash is your backup and your rural/market payment method, not your main way to pay.
Do ATMs in China accept foreign cards?
Yes. Bank of China, ICBC and China Construction Bank ATMs generally accept foreign Visa, Mastercard and similar cards. ATMs are widely available at airports, train stations, bank branches and in cities.
What fees will I pay for an ATM withdrawal?
Your home bank will normally charge an overseas withdrawal fee plus a foreign transaction markup, and the Chinese bank may add a local fee. Your home bank's terms determine the first two, check them before you travel. Because flat fees dominate, fewer and larger withdrawals are usually cheaper.
How do I avoid extra fees at the ATM?
Decline any offer from the machine to convert your withdrawal into your home currency. Choose to be charged in yuan and let your own bank handle the conversion, the machine's rate is set by the machine and is worse than the market rate.
Can I use my credit card directly in shops?
At hotels, large shopping malls and chain stores, yes, a physical international card normally works. Small restaurants and independent shops generally do not accept physical foreign cards, so use QR payment or cash there.
Where can I break a ¥100 note?
Convenience stores and supermarkets, which handle enough volume to always have change. Buy something small and pay with the large note. Do it deliberately in a city rather than discovering the problem at a rural stall.
What if the ATM declines my card?
Try another bank's machine, then try a smaller amount. If it still fails, call your bank, a fraud block is the most common cause and only your bank can clear it. As a fallback, withdraw over the counter inside a bank branch with your passport.
Do I need my passport to withdraw money?
Not at an ATM, but yes at a bank counter. Carry your passport when you plan to visit a branch; it is required for over-the-counter service, and it is also the document hotels need at check-in.
Related reading
Fee structures vary by card issuer and are set by your own bank, not by the ATM you use. Check your bank's overseas withdrawal terms before travelling. ATM acceptance and local fees change, verify at the machine before confirming a withdrawal.