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-   -   Using Discover card in China (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china/675113-using-discover-card-china.html)

cooljw Jan 22, 2019 10:31 pm


Originally Posted by LASNRT (Post 30688623)
Has anyone been able to use Discover with Apple Pay? I know Apple Pay in China means compatible with Union Pay only, but I'm wondering if a Discover card in Apple Pay will process as a Union Pay card. Unfortunately, I can't add my US ICBC Union Pay card to Apple Pay - and my emails to them haven't been effective in convincing them to join Apple's network...

A better question may be: can you even find places to use Apple Pay in China. If there are, literally no one does. People only use Wechat or Alipay on their phone.

LASNRT Jan 23, 2019 1:28 am


Originally Posted by cooljw (Post 30689005)


A better question may be: can you even find places to use Apple Pay in China. If there are, literally no one does. People only use Wechat or Alipay on their phone.

While not super relevant, maybe, last week in both Shenzhen and Guangzhou I saw that the subway systems allowed people to use Apple Pay with Union Pay enabled cards, and McDonald's and one other local fast-food restaurant's self-order kiosks allowed for payment with Apple Pay, so that's why I was asking.

I know Beijing and Shanghai metro cards can be added to Apple Pay, and you can use WeChat/Alipay QR codes in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, but I've found it's always easier to tap my NFC enabled Union Pay card rather than fire up WeChat Pay. Unfortunately, I can't add it to Apple Pay, so I was hoping Discover might work. It seems simple based on the Guangzhou metro's website...

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8d20825952.png

LASNRT Jan 23, 2019 1:30 am


Originally Posted by moondog (Post 30688645)
Can you add it to WeChat or Alipay?

No, unfortunately not. I've been able to add other foreign cards - which are useless except to top up my Chinese mobile number - but can't add the foreign-issued Union Pay card. Even messaging US ICBC hasn't helped - even though their customer service reps are based in China, they can't give any advice either.

tauphi Jan 23, 2019 10:38 pm


Originally Posted by cooljw (Post 30689005)
A better question may be: can you even find places to use Apple Pay in China. If there are, literally no one does. People only use Wechat or Alipay on their phone.

I use Apple Pay with a UnionPay card regularly. It saves on having a supplementary card which costs money for some premium credit cards. It's also very useful for certain app purchases (e.g., Meituan) because they count as offline purchases as opposed to online purchases for earning reward points as the latter is capped with my card provider.

As to acceptance it's accepted at almost every merchant that accepts a physical UnionPay card.

Visconti Jan 24, 2019 10:26 am


Originally Posted by tauphi (Post 30693366)
I use Apple Pay with a UnionPay card regularly.

Would Apple Pay work with those merchants who accepts only wechat pay? Had a situation last year where a store refused to accept cash, and insisted I can only pay with, I assume, wechat pay, which I don't have.

moondog Jan 24, 2019 10:29 am


Originally Posted by Visconti (Post 30695375)
Would Apple Pay work with those merchants who accepts only wechat pay? Had a situation last year where a store refused to accept cash, and insisted I can only pay with, I assume, wechat pay, which I don't have.

In general, no. For example, the fruit seller on my street has zero clue about Apple Pay.

tauphi Jan 25, 2019 3:22 am


Originally Posted by Visconti (Post 30695375)
Would Apple Pay work with those merchants who accepts only wechat pay? Had a situation last year where a store refused to accept cash, and insisted I can only pay with, I assume, wechat pay, which I don't have.

Apple Pay in China is an extension of UnionPay contactless payment. So if a merchant doesn't accept UnionPay cards then Apple Pay won't be accepted either. The exception is if the merchant accepts payment through a third-party platform such as Meituan which itself accepts Apple Pay. This is pretty nice actually because some cheap restaurants don't have POS machines but they may still accept payment through Meituan.


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