China's currency is the Renminbi (RMB), unit yuan (¥ / CNY), colloquially called "kuai".
Getting cash (you won't need much)
- Bank ATMs (ICBC, Bank of China, China Construction Bank) reliably accept foreign Visa/Mastercard — look for the logos
- Airport ATMs in the arrivals hall are fine; skip the currency exchange counters unless desperate (rates are 5–8% worse)
- Typical limits: ¥2,500–3,000 per withdrawal, fees ¥15–30 plus your bank's charges
Rates and costs
- The yuan is managed — rates are stable, around ¥7.1–7.3 per USD
- Use a card with no foreign transaction fees for ATM withdrawals
- Decline "dynamic currency conversion" — always choose to be charged in CNY
When you actually need cash
- Rural areas, small-town buses, some street vendors
- Elderly taxi drivers in smaller cities
- Backup for when your phone dies (keep ¥200 hidden in your bag)
Denominations
Notes: ¥100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 1. Coins: ¥1, and small jiao coins you may never see. The ¥100 is the only note anyone bothers checking for counterfeits — get yours from ATMs and you'll be fine.
Reality check: Many travelers spend two weeks in China and never touch cash. Set up Alipay/WeChat Pay (see Payment guide) and treat cash purely as a safety net.