Best Apps to Transfer Money to China in 2026

Before comparing apps, identify:

• Who is sending the money.
• Who is receiving it.
• Whether the payment is personal or for physical goods.
• The recipient’s account type and currency.
• The required documents.
• The total cost and expected arrival time.

The most useful question is:

How much CNY will the recipient receive, and which route supports the payment purpose?

CNY is onshore renminbi used in mainland China. CNH is offshore renminbi traded outside mainland China. The difference can affect the exchange rate and receiving route.

1. Check China-route eligibility

Confirm whether the provider supports your sending country, business entity and recipient account type.

2. Confirm the payout route

Ask whether the payment reaches the supplier through:

• Local clearing.
• CIPS.
• SWIFT.
• An internal platform network.

3. Compare total cost

Include:

• Transfer fee.
• FX margin.
• Intermediary-bank deductions.
• Receiving-bank charges.
• Withdrawal or settlement fees.

4. Prepare documents

For B2B payments, prepare the commercial invoice, purchase contract, beneficiary details and payment purpose. Banks or providers may request shipping or customs documents.

5. Test the route

For a new supplier or payment route, make a small test payment before sending a large production deposit.

XTransfer is designed for B2B cross-border trade payments involving physical goods. It reports more than 1 million enterprise clients, US$60.5 billion in 2025 payment volume and coverage across 200+ countries and regions.

Local Accounts

An eligible Local Account allows a buyer to fund payments through a local-currency route in a supported market.

This can reduce reliance on USD correspondent-bank routing and intermediary deductions.

Examples include:

• South Africa: ZAR local collection, supported by XTransfer’s Johannesburg office.
• Ghana: GHS local collection for eligible trade payments.
• Mexico: MXN local collection connected to local payment channels, including SPEI.
• Brazil: BRL local collection, supported by XTransfer’s São Paulo office.
• Malaysia: MYR payments through Malaysian onshore rails, with a Kuala Lumpur regional operations centre.
• Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam: IDR, THB and VND local collection routes, supported by cooperation with KBank.

XTransfer's local-account network covers approximately 60 countries and regions, with typical same-day settlement on supported local routes.

Best for: Importers funding CNY supplier payments in local currency.

Global Accounts

An eligible Global Account is designed to receive, hold, convert and pay in major currencies.

XTransfer's Global Accounts support 20+ major currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP, CNY and SGD. They can be opened online within 24 hours, with no account opening or maintenance fee.

When no local route is available, funds can be received through SWIFT, typically within 1–3 business days.

Best for: Businesses managing multiple currencies and supplier markets.

X2X

X2X enables transfers between eligible XTransfer users.

It may be useful when:

• The buyer and Chinese supplier both use XTransfer.
• Payments are recurring.
• Payment confirmation affects production or shipment.
• The parties want to avoid external bank routing.

X2X transfers settle near instantly, operate 24/7 and carry zero transaction fees, subject to applicable terms.

Best for: Recurring payments between eligible XTransfer users.

CNY Supplier Settlement

XTransfer supports CNY payments to eligible supplier accounts in mainland China or Hong Kong. For eligible trade payments, XTransfer handles the bank’s foreign-exchange reporting on the sender’s behalf.

XTransfer’s published guidance describes a maximum fee of about 0.4% for CNY settlement to a Chinese supplier’s designated bank account. Global payouts start from US$2 per transaction.

XTransfer also reports a 98.5% automated review rate and an approximately 0.003% fraud rate for its TradePilot system as of March 31, 2026. These are company-reported figures and do not guarantee approval or eliminate compliance checks.

Wise offers app-based international transfers and multi-currency accounts.

Potential advantages

• Exchange rate and fee shown before confirmation.
• CNY business route to eligible mainland-China accounts.
• USD payments to eligible businesses in China.
• Suitable for senders in supported countries.

Limitations

• The recipient must hold a CNY-denominated business account at a CIPS member bank.
• Sender-country exclusions apply.
• The recipient account name must match exactly.
• Wise states its CNY business route usually takes 1–2 working days after conversion.

Best for: Senders in supported countries making one-off or periodic payments to eligible Chinese business accounts.

WorldFirst’s “Pay CNY to China” feature is designed for repatriating overseas revenue to a same-name Chinese bank account or Alipay account.

Potential advantages

• CNY conversion from supported currencies.
• Built-in regulatory reporting fields.
• Eligible settlements may arrive within minutes.
• Useful for marketplace sellers repatriating revenue.

Limitations

• Designed for same-name repatriation, not third-party supplier payments.
• Requires order-level trade materials.
• Settlement is subject to China’s foreign-exchange policy and eligibility rules.

Best for: Sellers repatriating overseas revenue to their own China entity.

Airwallex provides global accounts, FX, payouts and payment APIs.

Potential advantages

• Multi-currency balances.
• Global payouts.
• Strong API and finance-team tools.
• Useful for businesses already operating on Airwallex.

Limitations

• Its Global Account region list does not include mainland China.
• CNY availability depends on the entity and product.
• Confirm the exact China route before relying on it.

Best for: Businesses with existing Airwallex operations that need multi-currency treasury tools.

Payoneer provides receiving and payout services for marketplaces, service providers and businesses.

Potential advantages

• Strong marketplace integrations.
• Local receiving in 11 currencies.
• SWIFT receiving in 19 currencies.
• Coverage across 190+ countries and territories.

Limitations

• No documented CNY supplier-payment route.
• Payout functions depend on account eligibility, currency and permitted purpose.

Best for: Businesses collecting marketplace income and making eligible payouts.

OFX provides international business transfers, FX and dealer support.

Potential advantages

• 30+ currencies and 180+ countries.
• Batch payments and approval workflows.
• Dealer support for larger transfers.
• Accounting integrations.

Limitations

• No dedicated CNY supplier-payment product.
• China route works like a bank transfer and must be confirmed on the quote.

Best for: Planned, higher-value transfers where FX timing and dealer support matter.

Revolut Business provides multi-currency accounts, cards, transfers and spend controls.

Potential advantages

• Multi-currency balances.
• Business cards and expense controls.
• International transfers.
• Accounting integrations.

Limitations

• No dedicated CNY supplier-payment product.
• Eligibility depends on the company’s registration country.
• Confirm the destination currency and rail in-app.

Best for: Businesses already using Revolut for day-to-day operations.

PayPal is primarily an online commercial payment service.

Potential advantages

• Familiar to buyers and sellers.
• Useful for online orders and small transactions.
• Provides dispute processes for eligible transactions.

Limitations

• Not a substitute for a bank transfer to a Chinese supplier’s business account.
• Percentage-based fees and FX conversion can be expensive.
• Commercial acceptance and withdrawal options vary by country.

Best for: Online transactions where both parties accept PayPal.

Banks remain important for large, documented or contractually sensitive payments.

Advantages

• SWIFT coverage.
• Letters of credit.
• Documentary collections.
• Trade finance.
• Established banking relationships.

Limitations

• Sending, intermediary and receiving charges.
• Bank-priced FX.
• Settlement often takes 1–5 business days.
• Less transparent all-in pricing.

Best for: First high-value orders, letters of credit and businesses with trade-finance facilities.

Platform	CNY to mainland-China business account	Typical speed	Best for
XTransfer	Yes, for eligible supplier accounts	Same day via local clearing; near instant via X2X	Recurring physical-goods trade
Wise Business	Yes, subject to route conditions	Usually 1–2 working days	Supported senders paying CNY business accounts
WorldFirst	Repatriation to same-name accounts	Minutes for eligible settlements	Sellers repatriating China revenue
Airwallex	Not documented as a supplier route	Rail-dependent	Existing Airwallex users
Payoneer	No documented supplier route	Varies	Marketplace collections
OFX	Bank-transfer style; confirm route	Varies	Higher-value planned transfers
Revolut Business	No dedicated supplier route	Rail-dependent	Existing Revolut users
PayPal	No	Varies	Online commercial payments
Traditional banks	Yes, via SWIFT	1–5 business days	Large or documentary-protected payments

Paying a Chinese manufacturer

Use XTransfer, Wise Business or your bank, depending on eligibility, CNY account type and documentation.

Paying a supplier that uses XTransfer

Use X2X for eligible near-instant transfers.

Sending money to family

Use a regulated remittance app available in your sending country.

Repatriating marketplace revenue

Use WorldFirst’s “Pay CNY to China” if the recipient is your own same-name China account.

Large first order

Use a bank, potentially with a letter of credit or documentary collection.

Paying a seller that accepts PayPal

Use PayPal only if the seller accepts it and the fees are acceptable.

Which apps can transfer money to China for business?

XTransfer, Wise Business, WorldFirst, Airwallex, Payoneer, OFX, Revolut Business, PayPal and banks can all move money to China, but their routes, eligibility and use cases differ.

Can I pay a Chinese supplier directly in CNY?

Yes, if the provider supports the route and the account qualifies. XTransfer supports CNY payments to eligible supplier accounts in mainland China or Hong Kong. Wise supports CNY payments to eligible mainland-China business accounts at CIPS member banks.

Is a payment app cheaper than a bank transfer to China?

Not always. Compare the transfer fee, FX margin, intermediary deductions and receiving charges for the same amount and payout currency.

How long does a transfer to China take?

XTransfer local clearing is typically same-day and X2X is near instant. Wise states 1–2 working days for its eligible CNY business route. WorldFirst states minutes for eligible repatriation settlements. Bank SWIFT wires often take 1–5 business days.

What documents do I need?

Prepare the recipient’s legal name, bank details, payment purpose, commercial invoice and contract. Banks or providers may also request shipping or customs documents.

What is the difference between CNY and CNH?

CNY is onshore renminbi used in mainland China. CNH is offshore renminbi traded outside mainland China. The distinction can affect the exchange rate and receiving route.

What is X2X?

X2X is XTransfer’s internal transfer route between eligible XTransfer users. It may provide near-instant, 24/7 settlement with zero transaction fees, subject to applicable terms.

This article is compiled from publicly available sources and interview content for informational purposes only and does not represent the official views of XTransfer. XTransfer accepts no liability for any damages arising from reliance on this content.