PayPal has become one of the most popular online financial tools around the world, and many people want to know if and how they can use PayPal where they live.
Therefore, if you live in China you might be wondering if PayPal is available to use? I have looked into PayPal China this is what I discovered!
Does PayPal Work in China In [currentyear]?
Fortunately, PayPal is now available in China for both personal and business accounts as of [currentyear], this is because PayPal now has 100% ownership of GoPay, a Chinese payment service. Furthermore, you can use your PayPal China account for both domestic and international transactions.
If you want to learn more about how to create a PayPal account in China, how to use your PayPal account in China, and more, keep reading!
Is PayPal Legal in China?
Thankfully, PayPal is now legal in China because it has recently acquired the payment licenses needed to operate a payment service.
Furthermore, PayPal acquired the payment licenses needed in China by acquiring the last 30% of GoPay, in December 2020.
Therefore, owning 100% of GoPay has made PayPal the first foreign licensed payment company to offer its services in China.
How do I Open a PayPal Account in China?
Luckily, Opening a PayPal account in China is just as easy as in every other country.
Therefore, to open a PayPal account in China:
- First, go to PayPal中国 or Safe payments, PayPal China
- PayPal中国 is in Chinese and Safe Payments, PayPal China is in English, but they are both PayPal China
- Second, choose either “Personal Account” or “Business Account”
- Then, click “Sign Up for Free”
- Next, you will be asked to confirm your “Country/Region” that you live in and click “Get Started”
- Following, you will have to enter your phone number so PayPal can send you a code to enter to confirm you are the one creating the account
- After you will have to enter all the information PayPal needs, such as your name, first and last, your billing address, and your email address
- Then, make sure you read any policies or agreements that show up on the screen and check any boxes if needed
- Finally, click “Agree and Create Account”
Furthermore, the next step to setting up your PayPal account is to link your payment methods. You can link either your bank account, credit card, debit card, or all of them.
Therefore, to link your credit or debit card:
- Start by logging in to your PayPal account, if you aren’t already
- Then, go to “Wallet” and click “Link a debit or Credit Card”
- Last, follow the directions PayPal gives you to link your card
Moreover, if you see “Confirm your card” when you are finished linking your card you will have to confirm your card before you can use it.
Furthermore, to link your bank account:
- Firstly, make sure you are logged in to your PayPal account
- Next, click “Wallet” and then click “Link a bank account”
- Lastly, follow the rest of the instructions to either link your bank account manually or instantly
Additionally, if you can instantly link your bank account, your bank account will also be instantly confirmed.
Unfortunately, if you had to manually enter your information you will have to manually confirm your bank account.
To confirm your bank account manually,
- First, you will have to be logged in to your PayPal account and go back to “Wallet” if you aren’t there already
- Second, click “Confirm Bank” on your bank account that you need to confirm
- Then, click “Confirm your bank”
- Next, click “No, continue with 2 small deposits”
- Finally, enter the exact amount of the 2 deposits that you received in your bank account and click “Confirm”
Finally, once you have created your PayPal account and you have at least one payment option linked and confirmed to your PayPal account, you can begin using PayPal.
How do I Transfer Money with PayPal in China?
Fortunately, you can withdraw money from your Chinese PayPal balance to your bank account in China, Hong Kong, or the U.S.
Furthermore, to withdraw money from your PayPal balance to your bank account:
- Begin by logging in to your PayPal account and going to “Summary”
- Next, click “Transfer Funds” which will be under your “PayPal balance”
- Then, choose the withdrawal method you would like to use and enter the amount you want to withdraw
- Lastly, follow the final directions PayPal gives you and complete the withdraw
Furthermore, the processing time and currency accepted for each bank account transfer in each country/region are:
- Wire Transfer to a bank account in China – USD accepted – 3 to 7 business days
- Withdraw to a bank account in Hong Kong – HKD accepted – 3 to 6 business days
- Withdraw to a bank account in the U.S. – USD accepted – 1 business day
- Requesting a check – USD accepted – 4 to 6 weeks
Additionally, here is information on PayPal China’s withdrawal, and any other fees.
To find out more about PayPal, you can also read our posts on whether or not PayPal will work in Australia, if PayPal will work in Canada, PayPal facts, and if PayPal will work in India.
Conclusion
Fortunately for Chinese citizens, PayPal is now fully legal and operating in China. PayPal has recently acquired 100% ownership of a Chinese payment platform GoPay, which allowed PayPal to acquire the payment licenses needed to operate in China.
Therefore, Chinese citizens can now create a personal or business PayPal account and use it for domestic or international transactions. Additionally, Chinese PayPal users can link their bank accounts from the U.S. and Hong Kong and transfer money to them from their PayPal balance.
