Questions and Answers

My bank, Chase says that China is on a restricted list and many ATMs will not except my Chase ATM card. Also called another of my ATM card Banks and they too, said that using it in China will be very difficult if not impossible because of the huge amount of fraud. these banks have restricted use of their ATMs.

So…how should I get cash in China? Many small shops only accept cash -they won’t except credit cards.

Check the logos on the back of your card (Interlink, PLUS, MoneyPass) and to the machine. Usually if one of them matches, you’ll be fine.

I have a Schwab debit card that I use for getting local currency.

I didnt have any issues at Bank of China ATMs. I had a small issue at the Agricultural Bank of China but it was fine after I switched to the other ATM at the branch. Not all the ATMs in the branches are the same – some have specific purposes and that could be why it didnt work.

hi Marjie, you could get cash from your bank or after you land in China if you carry some USD. You might also consider signing up for a Schwab high yield investor checking account (no fees, no minimum balance). They allow fee free withdrawals in China (just chatted with a rep to confirm this).