I Lived One Week in Shanghai Without Using Cash or Credit Cards. Here’s the Truth

“Why bring a wallet when your phone does everything?”
That was my first thought after just one day in Shanghai — the most vibrant, smart, and futuristic city I’ve ever been to.

I decided to test something many people are still skeptical about: living in China for a full week without using any cash or credit cards. Just one smartphone, Alipay, and WeChat Pay. And here’s the truth.

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1. Arriving in Shanghai: No more currency exchange at the airport

I landed at Pudong International Airport on a cool, breezy afternoon. As I walked out of the terminal, it hit me: “I haven’t exchanged any yuan!” But instead of panicking, I opened Alipay for Foreigners — a feature that allows tourists to link their Visa or Mastercard and use it like a local wallet in China.

After a few steps to verify my passport and credit card, I was ready to go. No currency exchange counters, no ATM withdrawals.
That has never happened to me in any other country I’ve visited.

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2. Buying a water bottle? Scan a code

On the way to the city center, I stopped by a convenience store. No cashier greeted me like in the West — just a sleek self-checkout machine. I grabbed a bottle of water, scanned the QR code, confirmed the payment via Alipay — done.

Everyone around me — students, office workers, even elderly people — were paying with their phones. No one counted coins, no one swiped cards.

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3. Taking the subway? Tap and go

In the US or Europe, I often line up to buy metro tickets or reload a transit card. But in Shanghai, I simply opened the WeChat Metro Mini Program, activated the QR code, and the gates opened in a second.

I never thought a public transportation system could be this well-integrated with mobile wallets.

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4. Eating, shopping, booking rides: No cash, no cards, no problem

I ate at street food stalls, ordered rides through Didi (China’s version of Uber), even bought fruit at a local market — all paid through Alipay or WeChat Pay. Some vendors didn’t even accept cash. I jokingly asked one stall owner:

“What if I pay with cash?”
He smiled: “I don’t have change, my friend.”

A cashless society China is not a theory or a future vision — it’s already a full-blown reality, and Shanghai is its prime example.

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5. Compared to the US and Europe: A gap that’s hard to ignore

In the US, even with Apple Pay or Google Pay, you still encounter shops that insist on physical cards or cash. In many parts of Europe, QR code payments aren’t widely adopted yet.

This made me realize something: China has leapfrogged — skipping the card era and moving straight from cash to QR codes.

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6. Conclusion: One week, one phone — and I’ve never felt so convenient

I left Shanghai with a lingering question: Why hasn’t the rest of the world caught up?

If you’re traveling to Shanghai, don’t worry if you don’t have yuan in your pocket. Download Alipay for Foreigners, bring a fully charged smartphone — and get ready to experience China’s cashless lifestyle for real.

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A few tips if you want to try it too:

• Download Alipay and WeChat before your trip and complete identity verification.

• Link your international Visa/Mastercard in Alipay (under TourPass or International Version).

• Bring a power bank — without your phone, you’re basically stranded.

• Learn a few Chinese phrases like “QR code” or “scan” — they’ll go a long way.

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I lived one week in Shanghai without using cash or credit cards — and honestly, I wish I could live like this every day.