How to Send Money From Australia to China

Sending money from Australia to China is mostly about two decisions: where the money lands, and whether it arrives as yuan or as foreign currency. A bank account, a UnionPay card, Alipay and Weixin (WeChat) are all options, and China's foreign exchange rules can affect your recipient if the money arrives in Australian or US dollars.

This guide covers the ways to send, China's annual foreign exchange quota, what changes the cost and how long transfers take. We checked every figure on this page on 29 October 2026.

RemitHome.net.au is an independent guide run by Dominet BV. We're not a bank or a money transfer business, we don't send money for anyone, and we're not registered with AUSTRAC because we don't provide remittance services. No link on this site is an affiliate link right now. If that changes, we'll say so in our affiliate disclosure, and it won't change what we write. This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Providers named on this page are examples we checked, not recommendations.

Before you start

Gather these first:

• Your ID. A registered provider must identify you. AUSTRAC says that if a remittance business doesn't ask for ID, it's probably not registered.
• The recipient's full name as it appears on their ID.
• For a bank account: bank name and code, account name and account number. Western Union's Australia to China page lists these, and says you may be asked for the purpose of the transfer.
• For Alipay or Weixin: the recipient's mobile number linked to the wallet. Western Union describes the Alipay ID as the recipient's mobile number.

Ways to send money to China

Moneysmart, run by ASIC, describes two main routes from Australia: your bank, or a money transfer business. In China, providers then pay out to a bank account, a card or a wallet.

Bank transfer from your Australian bank

Your bank sends the payment through SWIFT. This suits large transfers, payments to your own account in China, or anything where the receiving bank expects a formal international payment. Ask your bank which currency it will send. If it sends Australian or US dollars, your recipient's bank converts them to yuan, and the conversion counts against the recipient's annual quota explained below.

Ask, too, about the bank's fee and whether any bank in between may deduct a fee before the money arrives.

Online money transfer providers

Online providers take Australian dollars and deliver yuan. As listed on 29 October 2026:

• Wise lists UnionPay, Alipay and Weixin for individual senders paying individual recipients in China. It says individuals can't send to business recipients.
• Western Union lists bank accounts, Alipay and WeChat, and cash pickup.

Alipay and Weixin (WeChat)

Wallet delivery puts the money on the recipient's phone, but there are steps on the recipient's side first.

Western Union's page, checked on 29 October 2026, explains that the recipient needs the app registered with a Chinese mobile number, must complete real-name verification, and chooses whether to receive to a linked bank card or the wallet balance. For Weixin this runs through a mini-program in the app. For Alipay it runs through a collection feature in the app.

Wise says Alipay and Weixin recipients may need to link a bank card. It also says a transfer can be cancelled if the recipient doesn't complete verification or card binding within 72 hours for Alipay or 48 hours for Weixin, with the money returned within 3 working days.

UnionPay card

Some providers pay to a Chinese bank card on the UnionPay network. Western Union says real-time transfers are available to accounts with an associated UnionPay debit card number beginning with 62.

Cash pickup

Western Union lists cash pickup in China. Once the transfer is complete and you have the tracking number, it says your receiver should be able to collect within minutes at the agreed agent location.

China's USD 50,000 annual quota

China manages foreign currency for its residents through the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE). Guidance published by SAFE's Xiamen branch explains how it works:

• Each resident individual has an annual facilitation quota of USD 50,000 equivalent for converting foreign currency into yuan (settlement), and a separate one for buying foreign currency.
• The quota runs on the calendar year, from 1 January to 31 December. Unused quota doesn't carry over.
• Within the quota, the person converts at a bank with their ID.
• It isn't a hard cap. SAFE says there's no amount limit on genuine, lawful current account transactions. Above the quota, the person brings ID and documents showing the source of the funds to the bank.
• Your recipient can check how much quota is left through their mobile or online banking.

SAFE also says people must not split transactions or use other people's quotas to get around these rules. Under a 2015 SAFE circular, people who do can be put on a watch list for that year and the following two years, during which every conversion needs supporting documents.

What this means for you: if your transfer arrives in China as foreign currency and your recipient converts it, the conversion uses their quota. Whether a transfer that arrives already in yuan touches the quota depends on how the provider settles it, so ask the provider if your recipient is near the limit. Never ask several relatives to receive parts of one large transfer to stay under the quota.

The SAFE guidance we found is dated October 2021. It was the most recent official explanation of the quota we could find on 29 October 2026, so check with your recipient's bank for current practice.

Provider limits

Providers set their own limits on top of China's rules. As listed on 29 October 2026:

• Wise: up to CNY 33,000 per transaction via UnionPay, CNY 50,000 per transfer via Alipay and CNY 50,000 per transfer via Weixin. It says each Alipay recipient can receive CNY 300,000 to 600,000 a year, and each Weixin recipient CNY 500,000 a year, and that monthly frequency limits may apply depending on the transfer purpose.
• Western Union: a maximum of AUD 7,000 to send to China online, with your own limit depending on the service and your history.

What affects the cost

Moneysmart says providers choose their own exchange rate and charge fees, and the cost depends on how much, where and how you send. For China, check:

1. The exchange rate margin against the mid-market AUD to CNY rate.
2. The transfer fee, flat, a percentage or both.
3. How you pay, since cards can cost more than bank transfer or PayID.
4. The delivery method, as wallet, card and bank deposit can be priced differently.
5. The currency that arrives. If foreign currency arrives, your recipient's bank applies its own conversion rate.

Our fees and exchange rate margins guide shows how to add these up. Moneysmart points to SaverAsia for independent comparisons from Australia to Asian countries, including China.

How long it takes

As stated on providers' pages on 29 October 2026:

• Western Union says an online bank transfer to China may take up to five days, with the first transfer slower while the receiver registers and later transfers to the same account within minutes. Some accounts can only receive during Chinese bank processing hours.
• Wise says 77% of its transfers arrive in under 20 seconds and 95% in less than a day, and that the time depends on how you pay.

Delays often come from unfinished wallet verification, a request for the transfer purpose, or ID checks on your first transfer.

Check the provider and watch for scams

Money transfer businesses in Australia must be registered with AUSTRAC. Search the Remittance Sector Register before using one. Our AUSTRAC guide explains how, plus what happens when you pay in cash.

Scamwatch warns never to send money to someone you've only met online, and never to transfer money for someone else, since it may be money laundering. Be suspicious of anyone offering to "swap" money privately between Australia and China outside a registered provider or bank.

For other countries and the basics that apply to every transfer, see our guides home page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I send money from Australia to Alipay or WeChat?

Yes, through providers that offer wallet delivery. Your recipient must have the app registered to a Chinese mobile number and complete real-name verification. Some providers cancel the transfer if this isn't done within 48 to 72 hours.

Does China limit how much money I can send?

Not with a hard cap. Your recipient can convert up to USD 50,000 equivalent into yuan each year under the annual quota, and larger genuine amounts can be converted with ID and supporting documents. Providers also set their own per-transfer limits.

Should I send yuan or Australian dollars?

If your provider delivers yuan, your recipient doesn't need to convert anything at their bank. If foreign currency arrives, their bank converts it at its own rate and it counts against their quota. Compare the yuan received either way.

How long does a transfer to China take?

Anything from seconds to five days, depending on the provider, delivery method and whether it's your first transfer to that person.

Can my family split a large transfer across relatives?

Don't. SAFE says splitting transactions or using other people's quotas to get around the rules isn't allowed, and people who do it can be put on a watch list.