Short answer: you don't need a mainland bank account. AlipayHK and WeChat Pay HK are the easiest places to start, and Hang Seng, BoC Pay+, PayMe and Octopus also work on the mainland.
Set up two apps on different networks before you cross. A code that fails in one app may work in the other.
The key difference: which QR codes each app can pay
These apps don't all connect to the same merchants. Each one rides on a payment network, and that decides which codes it can pay:
- Alipay and Alipay+: AlipayHK, Hang Seng Mobile App, JustPay
- UnionPay QR: BoC Pay+, PayMe, Octopus UnionPay Card
- WeChat Pay: WeChat Pay HK, plus some UnionPay wallets that can scan WeChat Pay codes
That last link matters. UnionPay and WeChat began opening WeChat Pay codes to partner wallets in December 2024, and The Standard named BoC Pay, Octopus, PayMe and Tap & Go among them.
Hong Kong payment apps compared
| App | Pays | Money comes from | Fee | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hang Seng App / JustPay | Alipay+ merchants | Hang Seng HKD account | No handling fee | No personal receiving codes |
| BoC Pay+ | UnionPay QR, WeChat Pay merchant codes, e-CNY | BOCHK savings account, BOC credit card or HKD wallet | No overseas transaction fee | 1.5% fee on manual wallet top-ups |
| PayMe | UnionPay QR, WeChat Pay codes | PayMe wallet | Fee waiver announced in 2024 | Prepaid card, so some merchants refuse it |
| AlipayHK | Alipay and Alipay+ merchants | Balance, HK bank account or credit card | None from AlipayHK | Your bank or card issuer may charge |
| WeChat Pay HK | WeChat Pay merchants | Balance, HK bank account or credit card | Check the payment screen | Needs a Hong Kong mobile number, and verification to pay from balance |
| Octopus UnionPay Card | UnionPay QR, WeChat Pay QR | Octopus wallet | Check the Octopus App | Needs Wallet Plus or Pro |
Limits can vary by account. Hang Seng and PayMe don't list mainland amounts on their public pages, so check the app before a large payment.
Hong Kong bank apps
Hang Seng Mobile App and JustPay
Hang Seng joined Alipay+ in 2026. You scan or show a QR code and pay directly in HKD at mainland merchants that accept Alipay+. There's no top-up step and no handling fee, and the rate appears before you confirm.
Watch for two limits:
- Your daily limit: the lower of your "Mainland & overseas daily transfer limit" and "Non-registered payee daily transfer limit". Set both before you travel.
- Mainland caps: Hang Seng says separate annual and per-transaction limits apply and can't be adjusted. Its page doesn't give the amounts.
BoC Pay+ (Bank of China Hong Kong)
BoC Pay+ generates a mainland UnionPay code in the app. BOCHK's FAQ says it works at mainland merchants that support UnionPay QuickPass, UnionPay QR, WeChat Pay merchant collection codes or e-CNY. Payments settle in HKD at a live rate with no overseas transaction fee.
Pay from your BOCHK savings account or BOC credit card to avoid fees. The same FAQ says manual wallet top-ups, transfers and cross-border remittances carry a 1.5% fee, and BoC Pay+ only accepts BOC credit cards. Its ride code doesn't work on the mainland yet.
We didn't find separate mainland limits from BOCHK. A Pay+ wallet we checked in November 2026 showed these limits under Menu > Settings > Limit Management:
- Wallet balance: HK$100,000
- Total spending: HK$500,000 a year
- Top-ups and money received: HK$50,000 a day and HK$500,000 a year
- Transfers and remittances: HK$10,000 a day
- Merchant spending: HK$25,400 a day on that account. You can edit this limit, so yours may differ.
HSBC: use PayMe for shops
We couldn't find an HSBC page that lets its main banking app scan mainland shop codes. HSBC's shop-payment route is the PayMe UnionPay virtual card, which you activate in the PayMe app after verifying your HKID or top-up source.
- Acceptance: QR or online wherever UnionPay is accepted, except merchants that refuse prepaid cards or need a physical card.
- Exchange rate: UnionPay's rate at the time of purchase, deducted in HKD.
- Limits: the card follows your PayMe wallet's limits.
- Fees: HSBC announced a mainland fee waiver in 2024, subject to terms. Topping up with a non-HSBC credit card costs 1.2%.
Hong Kong wallets
AlipayHK
AlipayHK has the most complete northbound setup we found. Link a Hong Kong card or bank account, or verify your identity to use your balance, then look for the Alipay or Alipay+ logo. It lists Sam's Club, Hema, Luckin Coffee, Heytea and Meituan among places you can use it.
AlipayHK says it adds no transaction fee to cross-border payments, but your bank or card issuer may charge fees for the transaction, currency conversion or a cash advance. Check your card terms first. Its Transport Code covers metros and selected buses in supported cities, and needs an HKID scan and selfie.
WeChat Pay HK
Register WeChat with a Hong Kong mobile number and you can use the HKD wallet at WeChat Pay merchants with automatic conversion. Coverage extends to small merchants and Shenzhen taxis, plus public transport in nearly 50 mainland cities.
Complete ID verification before you travel. The app's verification screen showed these differences in November 2026:
| Unverified | Verified | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual transaction limit | HK$25,000 | No limit |
| Balance limit | HK$3,000 | HK$100,000 |
| Cross-border payment from balance | No | Yes |
Trip.com's guide also says ID verification is required for small merchants, including Shenzhen taxis. Third-party guides disagree on credit card fees, so check the amount on the payment screen.
Octopus UnionPay Card
Octopus Wallet Plus or Pro users can open this virtual card in the Octopus App without a mainland number or bank account. It scans UnionPay and WeChat Pay QR codes across the mainland.
Which one should you use?
- First-time setup: start with AlipayHK, then add WeChat Pay HK as your second app.
- Hang Seng customers: use the bank app at larger merchants, since you skip the top-up step.
- BOCHK customers: BoC Pay+ gives you UnionPay and WeChat Pay merchant codes in one app.
- PayMe or Octopus users: both make a useful backup on the UnionPay network.
- Regular metro users: set up the AlipayHK Transport Code or WeChat Pay HK before you cross. Our China subway payment guide covers the other options.
We don't rank these apps by exchange rate because rates change daily. To compare, check the HKD amount for the same RMB price at the same time in each app.
Coming soon: FPS and UnionPay
The HKMA said on 2 November 2026 that FPS will link with UnionPay International by the end of this year. Users would then progressively be able to scan QR codes at over 100 million merchants under UnionPay and its partner networks.
Two details are easy to miss:
- The 100 million figure isn't mainland-only. It covers Hong Kong, the mainland and more than 40 overseas markets.
- The link doesn't mean every bank goes live at once. The rollout is progressive, and the HKMA's announcement doesn't name participating banks, fees, exchange rates or limits.
Until it launches, use one of the apps above. We'll update this guide when banks confirm the details.
Payment Connect is for transfers, not shops
Payment Connect sends money from Hong Kong to a person's mainland account. It doesn't let you scan a shop's QR code. Hong Kong Identity Card holders can send up to HK$10,000 a day and HK$200,000 a year per participating institution.
The HKMA's examples include tuition, medical and utility payments. Participating institutions include BOCHK, Hang Seng, HSBC and WeChat Pay Hong Kong. The limit is separate from the RMB 80,000 daily limit for same-name remittances.
What to do when a payment fails
- Error after scanning a small shop's code: it may be a personal code. Hang Seng says it doesn't support them, while chain stores usually use registered merchant codes. Show your own code or switch apps.
- Declined in PayMe: the merchant may refuse prepaid cards, or your wallet may be short of funds.
- Declined in Hang Seng: check both transfer limits, then remember the fixed mainland caps.
- Nothing works: carry some RMB as a backup. See whether you need cash in China.
Expats and visitors
Living in Hong Kong: an HKID opens up most of these routes. PayMe asks for an HKID when you add a bank account, and Payment Connect is limited to HKID holders.
No HKID: AlipayHK says ID scanning is only for HKID holders. Existing intermediate or advanced users without one can stay at intermediate level by linking a same-name bank account. It doesn't say whether that covers every mainland feature.
Visiting Hong Kong: set up mainland Alipay or WeChat Pay with your foreign card instead. Before you do, read our guide to foreign card limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a Hong Kong bank app to pay in mainland China?
Yes, with some banks. Hang Seng's Mobile App and JustPay pay Alipay+ merchants in HKD. BoC Pay+ pays UnionPay QR merchants and WeChat Pay merchant codes. HSBC's route for shop payments is PayMe's UnionPay virtual card.
Does PayMe work in mainland China?
Yes, through the PayMe UnionPay virtual card. It works by QR code or online where UnionPay is accepted, except at merchants that refuse prepaid cards or need a physical card. The amount is converted at UnionPay's rate and deducted in HKD.
Why does my Hong Kong app fail on a small shop's QR code?
The shop may be using a personal receiving code. Hang Seng says it doesn't support these codes and shows an error. Try showing your own payment code instead, or switch to an app on a different network.
What are WeChat Pay HK's limits?
In November 2026, the app showed a HK$25,000 annual transaction limit and HK$3,000 balance limit for unverified users. Verified users had no annual transaction limit and a HK$100,000 balance limit. Only verified users can pay cross-border from balance.
Can I already use FPS to scan QR codes in mainland China?
Not at shops yet. The HKMA says FPS will link with UnionPay International by the end of 2026, with QR payments enabled progressively. The announcement doesn't give a launch date, participating banks, fees or limits.
Is Payment Connect the same as scanning a QR code?
No. Payment Connect sends money to a mainland person's account. It's open to Hong Kong Identity Card holders, with limits of HK$10,000 a day and HK$200,000 a year per participating institution.
Can I use these apps without a Hong Kong ID card?
Your options are narrower. PayMe asks for an HKID when you add a bank account, and AlipayHK's ID scan and Transport Code need an HKID. Short-term visitors should set up mainland Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card instead.