【August 21, 2026 update】 Thanks to a Vancouver reader for sharing a new idea.
Some merchants in Vancouver do not accept credit cards. You can ask them to accept WeChat Pay, then use TenPayGo with Apple Pay to pay with a credit card. Keep these points in mind:
- Make sure the RMB amount is reasonable.
- Use a card with no foreign transaction fee.
- WeChat Pay also waives its fee for amounts below RMB 200.
- One personal data point suggests that this works only when you scan the merchant’s QR code. If you display your own QR code for the merchant to scan, the payment may not go through.
【August 20, 2026 update】Based on reports from different users, registration is no longer limited to Gmail addresses.
【July 2, 2026 update】When this article was first written a few days ago, registration could not be completed. Today, the app is officially live and usable.
The app is simple to use. You do not need a WeChat account or a Chinese mobile number. Add Apple Pay and one credit card, then scan a WeChat Pay QR code or show your own payment QR code for the merchant to scan.
A few things to keep in mind:
- UnionPay cards cannot be linked. You can link only one international credit card, such as Visa, Mastercard, or Amex.
- Payments of up to RMB 200 have no fee; payments above RMB 200 incur a 3% fee.
- Gmail addresses can be used for registration.
Many people may not have noticed that Tencent recently quietly released a new app called TenPayGo on the Apple App Store.
More than a decade after WeChat Pay launched, this is Tencent’s first standalone payment app aimed at international visitors. It can now be searched for and downloaded from overseas App Stores.
What Is TenPayGo?
TenPayGo is not WeChat, not the international version of WeChat, and not TenPay Global. It is a brand-new product.
Its defining feature is simple:
No chats, no Moments feed, no official accounts, and no mini programs.
It is only for payments. By focusing on a single function, it makes this particular problem much easier for visitors.
The entire app is only about 30 MB. Compared with WeChat’s several-hundred-megabyte footprint, it is very lightweight.
Why Did Tencent Build Another App?
The reason is fairly clear. Over the past few years, Tencent has encouraged foreign visitors to use WeChat Pay, but many international visitors run into the same problems:
- They do not want to install WeChat.
- They do not need chat features.
- The registration process is complicated.
- They are unfamiliar with Chinese mobile numbers and real-name verification.
- They are visiting only for a few days.
Tencent therefore built a separate payment tool and split the payment function out on its own.
What Can TenPayGo Do?
According to the current official introduction, it supports:
- ✅ Scanning WeChat Pay QR codes to pay
- ✅ Showing a payment code
- ✅ Viewing spending history
- ✅ Managing bills
Tencent says it plans to add public transportation, local services, and more travel services in the future.
The goal is to become a one-stop daily companion for visitors to China.
A Simpler Registration Process
Current public information says that overseas users can use:
- International bank cards, including Visa and Mastercard
- Apple Pay, in some regions
to set up payments. The entire process is designed around international visitors.
I tried installing and registering the app. It could be downloaded and installed, and I could register with an email address and receive a verification code, but entering the code showed a message saying that the app was still in internal testing.
My Take
With the official launch of TenPayGo, Tencent has separated its payment capability from WeChat for the first time and built a service specifically for international visitors. That should make visiting China more convenient and make it easier to use cashless, QR-code payment in everyday situations.