China

Updated 10 October 2026

This page tells you what is the best method to maximise your miles or cashback when spending in China using WePay/Alipay.

Maiximising your miles and returns from spending in China is tricky because you have to rely largely on WePay and Alipay. To spend money in China then, you have to choose one of the two options below:

Link your credit card to Wepay/Alipay for direct deduction from the cards. It is convenient because you don't have to top up again and again, or have leftover amounts at the end of the trip. However you will incur as high as 6.3% fee.

- If you use cards that may incur fx charges (e.g. all other cards except cards from YouTrip, Revolut, Maribank, Trust), up to 3.25% fx fees.
- For transactions at/below 200 RMB (~$38), no extra transaction charge.
- For transactions above 200 RMB, 3% transaction fee.

Top up WePay/Alipay wallet for direct deduction. This is great because you avoid most of the pesky fees especiallly if the transactions are above 3%, but you still have to incur some fx fees. The two ways to top up is through DBS Remit and OCBC Overseas Transfer.

- For example, if you use DBS remit (see right), you lose about 0.073 RMB for each SGD transacted, i.e. effectively 1.4% fx fees.

So then, what to do? I have listed out the ways to maximise your cashback or miles, depending on your chosen path.

DBS Remit has a poorer rate 5.19 vs YouTrip at 5,26, loss of ~1.4%

Cashback - the simplier way to go

If your goal is to maximise cashback and minimise the amount of transaction costs, then your best bet is to pair it with the UOB UnionPay Card:

[Recommended] Achieve 1.75% - 2% cashback with either these 2 cards:
- [w.e.f. 1 Oct 2026] UOB UnionPay Card - ever since it removed its 3.25% fx fee, its 2% cashback with no minimum spending (max of $50 cashback per month, i.e. $2,500 spending) makes it a more fuss-free option.
- DBS UnionPay Card - it has a cashback programme of 5% if you spend more than S$400 for that calendar month, and you waive that 3% transaction fee. Max cashback of $50 per month (i.e. < $1000 spending). Substracting the 3.25% fx fee, you are still saving ~1.75% (effectively at 1.75% cashback programme)

Alternatively, achieve up to 1.5% cashback with a 0% fx cashback card - the best cashback card is Maribank Cashback Card (1.5% cashback up to $1,500) or Trust Freedom Card (1%, unlimited)

Clearly the UnionPay cards are the superior choice, nabbing you a 2% cashback for any spending for anything with Alipay or WeChat Pay. In fact, it is even better than the trusty Maribank (0% fx, 1.5% cashback)

UOB UnionPay Card gives 2% cashback without a min. spend - can't get more fuss-free than that.

DBS UnionPay Platinum Debit Card is probably your best bet regardless of miles or csahback.

Tip: DBS is running a sign-up promo campaign giving new-to-card (i.e. not had or cancelled this card for the past 12 months) members $80 cashback if you spend $80 within 30 days of card approval. Sign up using the promo code DC80. Valid till 30 November 2026.

Miles - costly but doable

Sadly, the 3% transaction fee for spendings above 200RMB will limit how much utility you can get from miles. With the effectively 2% cashback acting as your opportunity cost, it makes it really difficult to recommend miles collectors to collect miles in China. Let's go through the math:

If the location accepts Mastercard/Visa

The math here is easy - recommendation is similar to that of other country, except that the UnionPay acceptance rate here is significantly higher than in other countries. With an opportunity cost of 2% (cashback rate for UnionPay, ignoring the slight different in fx rates of UnionPay vs Mastercard/Visa), your options rank as such:

1cpm - Amaze + Citi Rewards
1.31cpm - Specialised 4mpd cards (e.g. UOB Visa Signature)
1.54cpm - Trust Freedom Card (1.3mpd)
2mpd - Chocolate Visa

Clearly Amaze + Citi Rewards still reign supreme, and Trust Freedom Card should really be your upper bound.

If the location does not accept Mastercard/Visa

This is where it gets a bit more complicated. If you are using Alipay and WeChat Pay and spending 200RMB or less, that's okay. You should just link the cards mentioned above with the app (suggest Amaze + Citi Rewards).

However, if you are spending more than 200RMB, you are subjected to a 3% transaction fee. Given that the UnionPay cashback cards do not incur the 3% transaction fee, there is effectively a minimum of 3% + 2% (cashback) gap in cost. When comparing all the cards:

[opportunity cost] 2% cashback using UOB UnionPay Card
1.77cpm - Amaze + Citi Rewards (4mpd, 3% transaction fee + 2% fx fee (compounded) + 2% opp cost = 5.06% fee + 2% opp cost)
- This is comparable to CardUp or UOB Payment Facility's 1.6mpd - 1.8mpd
2.09cpm - Specialised 4mpd miles cards (4mpd, 3% transaction fee + 3.25% fx fee (compounded) + 2% opp cost = 6.35% fee + 2% opp cost)

Amaze + Citi Rewards is still your best, and essentially only bet for anything more than 200RMB

Why include opportunity cost?

When given a choice to use cashback cards or miles card, even if a miles card has 0% fx fees and costs, you are still forgoing the potential earnings of using the cashback card. For example, if I use the Chocolate Visa (1mpd) instead of Maribank Card (1.5% cashback) on a $100 item, I am choosing 100 miles over getting $1.50 back. Effectively, I am paying $1.50 for 100 miles, or 1.5cpm.

When using Amaze + Citi Rewards and incurring a spread of 2% fx fees to earn 4mpd on the same $100 item, I am earning 400 miles while spending $2, instead of getting back $1.50. Effectively, I am paying $3,50 for 400 miles, i.e. 0.875cpm.

Overall formula should be: (cashback opp cost (%) +fx fee (%)/(miles per dollar) x 100 = cost of miles in cpm.

Cashback Spending Strategy

2% Cashback - UOB UnionPay Card is your friend, as long as you spend within the $2,500 limit to maximise your cashback.
1.75% Cashback - Subsequently, use the DBS UnionPay Card, but make sure you spend at least $400 per calendar month. Max limit of $1,000 per calendar month.
Beyond that, use your normal cashback card at Mastercard/Visa locations or when spending =< 200RMB using Alipay or WeChat Pay. When spending more than 200RMB using Alipay/WeChat Pay, you are better off doing remit (1.4% loss), or just concede the 3% transaction fee and use your Maribank card (1.5% loss).

Miles Spending Strategy

If the location accepts Mastercard/Visa, or when spending 200RMB or less using Alipay or WeChat Pay, use the following (cost includes opportunity cost)

1cpm - Amaze + Citi Rewards
1.31cpm - Any 4mpd specialised cards

When spending more than 200RMB:

1.77cpm - Amaze + Citi Rewards
Otherwise, use the UOB UnionPay Card for 2% cashback, up to $2,500 spending per month.

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