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Can I withdraw cash from ATMs in China with a foreign card?

Last updated Jun 10, 2026

Which ATMs actually work

  • Best banks: Bank of China (the most foreigner-friendly, branches near airports and stations), ICBC (largest network), and China Construction Bank.
  • Before inserting your card, look for a Visa, Mastercard, Plus, or Cirrus logo on the machine. A machine showing only the UnionPay (银联) logo may reject a foreign Visa/Mastercard.
  • Skip smaller regional banks — acceptance is inconsistent. Even at the right bank, not every machine works or the overseas link is briefly down, so try another branch or carry a backup card.
  • A foreign-issued UnionPay card has the widest ATM access of all, because UnionPay is China's domestic interbank network.

Limits and fees

  • Per withdrawal: Bank of China caps foreign-card withdrawals at ¥3,000; some machines cap lower (around ¥2,500).
  • Per day / year: China's regulator (SAFE) caps foreign-card cash withdrawals at roughly ¥10,000 per day per card and ¥100,000 per year across all your cards — your home bank's own limit may be lower.
  • Fees stack: a Chinese-side charge of roughly ¥20–30 per withdrawal, plus your home bank's ATM/cash-advance fee and a foreign-transaction fee (often 1–3%).
  • Because the fees are largely flat per withdrawal, take out a larger amount fewer times rather than many small withdrawals.
There's no single official Chinese ATM fee — Bank of China says the fee is set by your issuing bank. Treat ¥20–30 as a typical estimate and check your own card's foreign-ATM and cash-advance fees before relying on this.

Next: get your payment setup sorted

Open the Payment Setup Checker

Avoid the rookie mistakes

  • Always choose to be charged in local currency (CNY). Accepting your home currency lets the machine apply a marked-up rate (dynamic currency conversion) and costs you more.
  • Chinese ATMs use 6-digit PINs. If yours is 4 digits, adding two leading zeros often works — but confirm with your bank first.
  • Three wrong PIN tries and the machine keeps your card; you retrieve it at that branch the next business day with your passport. Use an ATM inside an open branch when you can.
  • Some machines dispense the cash before returning your card — don't walk away. Withdraw on weekdays (lobby machines can run low on cash on weekends), and notify your bank of your travel dates so the charge isn't blocked as fraud.

How much to actually take out

Cash is a fallback for rural areas, tiny vendors, and the moments an app or card is declined — not your day-to-day method. A few hundred RMB on hand plus a small reserve usually covers it; pull more in one trip only if you're heading somewhere remote.

Your next step

Next: get your payment setup sorted

Five quick questions and the Payment Setup Checker gives you a recommended path, a backup, and what to test before you fly. Save it to your Arrival Plan when it helps.

Open the Payment Setup Checker

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