China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China, has published a guide to digital yuan services for foreign investors to help them make contactless payments using e-CNY.
According to a local news report, “Explore China’s Splendors with e-CNY Service Guide for Visitors to China,” published by the central bank, foreign tourists can now pay in digital yuan using accounts linked to their cards via the official mobile app.
Download the e-CNY app and open a digital yuan wallet
The “e-CNY” app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play, offers a digital currency account registration service(CBDC) of the Chinese central bank through local banks as authorized operators.
Although visitors are unlikely to have an account with Chinese banks such as the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) or the Bank of China (BOC), they do not need an account to open a wallet. In addition, wallet registration supports numbers from more than 210 countries and regions.
A user who opens an anonymous wallet does not need to visit a bank, provide a passport or other personal information. The payment limit per transaction for anonymous users is 2,000 yuan (about $282), and the daily cumulative limit is 5,000(about $705).
Users only need to link their wallet to a Visa or Master card to make a deposit, in addition to the phone number provided at registration. In addition, the central bank said it is working on setting up more international card systems.
Top up and pay with a linked account
To pay with your digital wallet, you need to top up your linked account. The money can be used for online purchases and at local suppliers that support digital yuan. Unused funds can simply be deposited back into the linked accounts.
The post states: “International users can also go to the authorized operator’s bank tellers to top up their wallets with yuan bills or other currencies.” “You can exchange the remaining amount of your wallet for banknotes at the counter.”
For users in the Hong Kong SAR, a “Faster Payment System” feature is available to recharge wallets free of charge using Hong Kong bank accounts, including HSBC, Hang Seng Bank (HSB), Standard Charted Bank, among others.
According to the guide, users can request a conventional card, a card-shaped e-ink wallet, or make mobile payments by scanning or presenting QR codes and tapping similar to Apple Pay.
