In China, most daily payments are made through mobile applications rather than debit cards or cash. While WeChat Pay and Alipay are at the center of payment systems in the country, various facilities have been offered in recent years for foreign visitors to use this infrastructure. WeChat is now launching a separate payment app called TenPayGo that appeals more directly to tourists. The new application allows payments at points where WeChat Pay is accepted and aims to enable users to benefit from existing payment tools without requiring them to open a bank account specific to China. Thus, users who visit the country for a short time will be able to more easily participate in the local mobile payment system for their daily shopping.
Installation of TenPayGo is done via e-mail address and multiple options are supported on the payment side. Users can link Apple Pay, one of the other supported international mobile wallets, or their debit card directly to the app. According to the information provided by WeChat, the application can work with approximately 60 different international payment wallets. The cost of a purchase made via TenPayGo in China is reflected on the user’s chosen mobile wallet or linked card. This structure reduces the need for tourists to create a separate payment balance or transfer money before traveling to China, while also allowing them to continue using the payment methods they are accustomed to.
Apart from payment, TenPayGo also offers tools for tourists
TenPayGo also includes some travel features that are not limited to shopping transactions only. Users can take a photo of a building, landmark or object they encounter and obtain information about them through the application. In addition, the application can also be used to translate menus found in restaurants and cafes. Considering that language barriers can cause problems for foreign visitors, especially in local businesses, having payment and translation functions in the same application can provide a practical advantage in terms of daily use. However, the source text does not provide detailed information about how comprehensive a translation service TenPayGo offers or which languages and content types its image recognition feature supports.
WeChat plans to add other services to TenPayGo that are frequently used in China travel, such as transportation and tax refunds. The app is expected to soon offer public transportation ticket support in Shenzhen, so visitors will be able to pay for urban transportation through the same service. In addition, a new feature is being prepared to facilitate tax refund procedures for tourists, and this service will be activated first in Shenzhen. WeChat previously allowed foreign cards to be used with WeChat Pay, which had already made it easier for tourists to access the payment system, but TenPayGo collects these transactions under a separate and simpler application specific to tourists. The real usage advantage of the application will become clearer with the scope of supported international cards and wallets, possible transaction fees, and how quickly transportation and tax refund support outside Shenzhen will expand.