Important Considerations for WeChat Transfers
WeChat provides a very simple way to transfer money to friends and receive payments from anyone. However, keep the following points in mind before sending money to someone you don’t know.
- Transfers cannot be stopped once sent. Even the recipient cannot reject the transfer.
- Transfers will remain in the “waiting for acceptance” status for 24 hours after being sent. If the recipient doesn’t accept the transfer within 24 hours, WeChat will automatically cancel the transaction. The sender will receive a refund via WeChat balance or the linked bank card.
- The payment code is valid for only one minute and can only be used once. WeChat generates a new payment code every time.
- WeChat transfers don’t issue receipts or invoices (known as “fa piao” in Chinese). Therefore, transfers can only be used within informal circles. For official invoices, payments should be made through appropriate channels with proof.
- Avoid using personal accounts for payments to merchants. Instead, display your vendor payment barcode/QR code for the cashier to scan.
You can go to the “Me > Wallet > Payment” section in the app to view your vendor payment code. You can also quickly find the vendor code by clicking the “+” button at the top right corner of the WeChat app and selecting the “Payment” option.
It’s highly recommended to set a password for accessing the vendor payment code to avoid accidental use. You can transfer money to anyone’s bank card within China. You can set payment delays in the settings to transfer money immediately, in 2 hours, or in 24 hours.
WeChat records all transfer and payment history for you to view at any time.
