Quick answer: Yes, Remitly lets you send money to China through Alipay. You start the transfer in the Remitly app or online, choose Alipay as the delivery method, enter your recipient’s phone number or email linked to their Alipay account, and your recipient completes the required steps inside Alipay to receive the funds.
Maybe someone you love is living or working in China, and they use Alipay every day to pay, transfer, and manage money. If you want to send them money and know they’re active on Alipay, you might be wondering whether Remitly can deliver funds there directly. The short answer is yes, Remitly offers Alipay as a delivery option for money transfers to China.
This guide walks through how it works, what information you’ll need, and what your recipient should expect.
Can You Send Money to Alipay With Remitly?
Yes. Remitly allows you to start an international money transfer and choose Alipay as the way your recipient receives the funds, where this option is available for sending money from the United States to China.
Here’s how it works:
- You (the sender) create and fund the transfer through your Remitly profile, using the Remitly app or website.
- Alipay serves as the method your recipient uses to receive and access the money, rather than a separate app you need to install.
- Your recipient must be located in China and have an Alipay account that meets Remitly’s eligibility requirements.
- You don’t need your own Alipay account to send the transfer. The Alipay delivery option in Remitly is designed around your recipient’s account, not yours.
What You Need to Send Money Through Alipay with Remitly
Before you start a transfer, it helps to gather some information ahead of time. Depending on Remitly’s current requirements, you may need:
- A Remitly profile. You’ll need to sign up or sign in before starting a transfer.
- Your recipient’s full legal name. This should match the name on their identification and their Alipay account.
- Your recipient’s phone number or email used on Alipay. Remitly uses this to connect the transfer to their Alipay account.
- Confirmation that your recipient’s Alipay account meets Remitly’s requirements. Alipay may require that your recipient has a card linked to their wallet to receive funds. If your recipient hasn’t completed this step, once you submit your transfer, they’ll get a push notification and SMS from Alipay with directions to complete it.
- Your preferred payment method, such as a bank account, debit card, credit card, or Apple Pay.
How to Use Remitly to Send Money to China With Alipay
Send a money transfer to Alipay in China from the United States using the following steps.
1. Sign in or create a Remitly profile Open the Remitly app or visit the website and sign in. If you’re new to Remitly, create a free account.
2. Start a transfer to China Choose China as the destination country and enter the amount you want to send. Remitly will show you an exchange rate and fee based on your selections.
3. Choose your payment method Choose how you’d like to pay for the transfer: debit card, bank account, credit card, or Apple Pay.
4. Choose Alipay as the delivery method You’ll see Alipay listed among the delivery options, alongside Weixin (WeChat Pay) and UnionPay and other bank cards. Select it to continue. Recipient names for transfers to bank cards in China must be in Chinese characters — transactions using Latin characters may fail, so double-check this before you submit.
5. Enter your recipient’s Alipay details Choose whether you have your recipient’s phone number or email linked to their Alipay account, then enter it carefully. If you’re using a phone number, select the correct country code (CN +86 for a China-based number). A small typo here may delay or prevent delivery.
6. Review the exchange rate, fees, and delivery estimate Before confirming, Remitly displays the exchange rate, transfer fee, total cost, and the amount your recipient is expected to receive.
7. Confirm and send your transfer Once everything looks correct, confirm the transfer. Remitly will process your payment and begin sending the funds toward delivery.
8. Your recipient completes any required steps in Alipay After you send the transfer, your recipient may need to take action inside Alipay to receive the money, such as completing real-name verification or enabling an account to receive funds. We’ll walk through this next.
How Does Your Recipient Receive Money Through Alipay?
To receive a Remitly transfer with Alipay, your recipient needs to meet certain Alipay requirements. Before you send money, it’s a good idea to make sure they’re set up to receive the transfer.
Am I Eligible to Receive a Transfer In China?
Your recipient is eligible to receive a transfer from Remitly if they have a Chinese national ID or a Foreigner’s Permanent Resident Identity card (FPRID). A foreign citizen in China without an FPRID won’t be able to receive transfers through Remitly this way.
Setting Up Alipay to Receive Transfers
Your recipient will need to complete real-name authentication and sign a service agreement before they can receive a transfer:
- Real-name authentication: In the Alipay app, your recipient searches for “Quick Collect” (闪速收款), selects it from the results, and follows the prompts to finish real-name authentication.
- Signing the service agreement: Your recipient searches for “Quick Collect” (闪速收款) again, selects “Go to Settings,” and reviews and signs the Quick Collect service agreement. To choose where they’ll receive money, they select “Enable” next to the Alipay account or card they want to use.
Completing Quick Collect Setup, Step By Step
If your recipient hasn’t gone through this before, here’s what the full setup looks like inside Alipay:
1. Find Quick Collect. Open the Alipay app, search for Quick Collect (闪速收款), and select the Quick Collect mini program from the search results.
2. Start recipient verification. Select “I’m a Recipient,” choose to complete identity verification, review the authorization request, and select “Agree” to continue.
3. Complete real-name authentication. Enter identity information, select the country or region that issued the identity document, provide the required personal and document details, and submit for verification.
4. Complete identity verification. Depending on the verification method, this may mean completing facial verification or verifying a China Mainland bank card. Your recipient completes all required verification steps.
5. Choose how to receive transfers. Once verification is complete, your recipient selects their preferred receiving method: their Alipay balance or a China Mainland bank card, then confirms their receiving preferences to finish setup.
Once these requirements are met, your recipient can receive the transfer through the Alipay balance or bank card they authorized in Quick Collect.
Keep in mind that receiving an international money transfer through Alipay is different from using Alipay for everyday purchases. Your recipient needs to meet Alipay’s identity and account requirements before they can receive a Remitly transfer.
How Much Money Can My Recipient Receive?
Transfers to China are subject to a maximum limit of 50,000 CNY per transfer, regardless of the service used to send or receive the money. If a transfer is automatically canceled, check whether this limit has been exceeded — your recipient may need to wait before receiving another transfer.
How Much Does It Cost to Send Money to Alipay?
Remitly makes the cost straightforward when sending money to China through Alipay: the transfer fee is a flat $1.99 USD when paying by bank transfer or debit card. You’ll see the fee, exchange rate, and amount your recipient is expected to receive before you confirm the transfer.
That means your family can receive money through an app they already use, while you know the transfer fee upfront. If you pay by credit card, an additional 3% processing fee applies.
| Payment method | Remitly fee |
| Debit card | $1.99 USD |
| Bank transfer | $1.99 USD |
| Credit card | $1.99 USD + 3% processing fee |
Fees, exchange rates, transfer limits, delivery times, payment methods, and delivery options are subject to change and may vary based on factors including the send amount, payment method, recipient information, and applicable eligibility or verification requirements. Review the applicable exchange rate, fees, and estimated delivery time shown by Remitly before confirming your transfer. Alipay availability and recipient eligibility are subject to applicable Remitly and provider requirements.
How Long Does a Remitly Transfer to Alipay Take?
Money transfers from the United States to China with Alipay can be delivered quickly, and Remitly shows an estimated delivery time before you confirm your transfer. Several factors can affect how long delivery actually takes, including your payment method, any verification steps required, and how quickly your recipient completes their part of the process.
Is It Safe to Send Money Through Alipay With Remitly?
Remitly builds security into every transfer, and there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your recipient:
- Double-check recipient details. Confirm your recipient’s name, phone number or email, and any other information before submitting your transfer.
- Only send money to people you know and trust. Avoid sending funds to someone you’ve only interacted with online or haven’t verified independently.
- Protect your profile and sign-in information. Never share your Remitly password or verification codes with anyone.
- Recognize common money-transfer scams. Be cautious of urgent requests for money, unfamiliar recipients, or pressure to send funds quickly.
If anything about a transfer feels off, pause and verify before sending. You can also visit Remitly’s trust and safety center for resources on fraud prevention.
What is Quick Collect (闪速收款)?
Quick Collect is the mini program inside the Alipay app that recipients use to verify their identity and enable an account or card to receive international transfers. It’s separate from paying with Alipay at a shop or online: your recipient sets it up once, and after that, their authorized Alipay balance or bank card is ready to receive transfers you send through Remitly.
Troubleshooting a Money Transfer to Alipay
If your recipient is unable to receive their transfer, have them check the following:
- Real-name authentication is complete.
- The Quick Collect service agreement has been signed.
- Quick Collect is enabled for their selected account or card.
- They haven’t exceeded receiving limits.
Ask them to confirm these steps, and check your transfer status in your Remitly profile.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I send money from the U.S. to Alipay in China?
Yes, you can send money to China from the United States using Alipay through Remitly.
Does my recipient need an Alipay account?
Yes. Your recipient needs an Alipay account that meets Remitly’s eligibility requirements — including a Chinese national ID or FPRID — to receive a transfer through this delivery method.
Do I need Alipay to send money with Remitly?
No. You send the transfer through the Remitly app or website. Your recipient uses their Alipay account to receive it.
What information do I need from my recipient?
You’ll need their full legal name and the phone number or email linked to their Alipay account, along with any additional details Remitly requests during the transfer process.
How much money can I send through Alipay with Remitly?
Transfer limits can vary based on your sending country, payment method, and account verification status, and receiving is capped at 50,000 CNY per transfer in China.
