As announced earlier, Touch ‘n Go eWallet (TNG eWallet) is among the 10 Asian eWallets that support cross-border Alipay payments in China. In case you didn’t know, payment cards (Visa/Mastercard) and cash are not widely accepted and most merchants only accept QR payments such as Alipay and WeChat Pay.
While Alipay now allows foreigners to use its international app by binding their credit or debit cards, Malaysians can enjoy a seamless cashless experience in China using the TNG eWallet app. There’s no need to download additional apps and you can spending using your existing eWallet balance.
Paying in China is as easy as using DuitNow QR in Malaysia
To recap, TNG eWallet allows Malaysians to make cashless payments in China via the Alipay+ network. Since early this year, TNG eWallet has been accepted by over 10 million Alipay merchants in mainland China.
Making a QR payment in China is just as easy as making a QR payment in Malaysia. You can scan a static QR code at the shop or display your QR code to the merchant.
Scanning an Alipay QR code is similar to scanning a DuitNow QR code in Malaysia. Just scan the code, enter the amount in Chinese Yuan, and then confirm the payment by entering your 6-digit TNG eWallet PIN. The app will display the transaction amount in MYR and CNY along with the current exchange rate.
Making a QR payment is even easier for established merchants with a linked point of sale (POS) system. Most of these shops have a scanner that can scan your QR code and there’s no need to enter the transaction amount.
How’s TNG eWallet’s exchange rate for China?
When we were in China in mid-September, the TNG eWallet was showing RM1 = CNY1.54. At the time, a prominent money changer in Kuala Lumpur was selling the currency at RM1 = CNY1.55.
From this example, the money changer’s rates are slightly better but do note that you’ll stand to lose more if you’re going to exchange your spare currency to Malaysian Ringgit later.
As mentioned earlier, most merchants in China have gone cashless. Even if you could find one that can still accept cash, not all of them will be able to provide exact change.
Take note that you can make Alipay transactions from your current TNG eWallet immediately. There’s no need to perform currency exchange as all transactions will be deducted from your existing TNG eWallet balance in Malaysian Ringgit.
What Alipay and Alipay+ transactions are supported by TNG eWallet?
TNG eWallet works with all Alipay+ merchants worldwide as well as Alipay merchants in mainland China. As long as you see the Alipay logo, you can scan the QR code using your TNG eWallet.
Take note that peer-to-peer wallet transfers are not allowed due to regulatory policies. That means you can’t pay if a small merchant uses their own personal Alipay QR code. So it needs to be a merchant account QR code and there are over 10 million of them in mainland China.
During our trip to Hangzhou, China, we didn’t face any issues with TNG eWallet acceptance. It works with small businesses including night markets, food stalls and even for Didi eHailing service.
Can you reload TNG eWallet in China?
As long as you have an internet connection and access to your online banking or saved payment cards, you can reload your TNG eWallet anywhere in the world.
However, we strongly recommend that you top-up your TNG eWallet before travelling to avoid any inconvenience. To recap, you can reload your eWallet via credit and debit card as well as DuitNow direct transfer. For greater convenience, you can save your TNG eWallet account as a favourite for easier reload from your favourite online banking app.
Related reading
- Cashless in China: How to pay using Touch ‘n Go eWallet and Alipay in mainland China
- 10 Asian eWallets including Touch ‘n Go eWallet support cross-border Alipay payments in China
- Touch ‘n Go eWallet users can make QR payments in over 12 countries via Alipay+ and DuitNow QR cross-border network
- TNG eWallet now accepted by over 10 million Alipay merchants in mainland China
