Foreign Internet Seller - Mainland Online Payment Setup Options?

[sv336]

I'm wondering if anyone was able to set up an online Payment method to accept payments for services over the internet from Mainland-based internet users, without having to register as a Chinese business or being a major established foreign corporation? From what I gathered so far, only validated Chinese businesses can open true merchant accounts on services like Alipay, WeChat Pay, TenPay, etc., enabled to accept payments from Mainland internet users, in local currency. There are so-called "global" options on some of those services, but those either enable payments options for Chinese citizens visiting abroad or require the foreign merchant selling in Mainland online to be a well-established business with demonstrated volumes and long-standing trademarks. Nothing of this sort for a startup putting up a website and sticking an online payment box on it - Western style. There seems to be a lot of movement in the Payments enablement field, but my current conclusion is that in order to sell to Mainland customers via the internet a startup would have to rely on Mainland-registered partners/resellers. Am I missing something?

[flameproof]

I used Wechat Wallet a few times. Very easy to use. Just need to a bank account in China, and Wechat, obviously.

[sv336]

Thank you, flameproof. You probably meant "paying" for services via WeChat. My situation - I'm looking for "selling" and "getting paid". Also, living in HK (vs. Mainland) I'm not sure I can even open a bank account in China - I doubt, based on what I read

[alexdown]

Probably @flameproof meant to 'accept' payments as in 'have money sent to his wechat wallet'. Not a payment, per-se (your account -the receiving one - is a normal one not a merchant one).

Against the t&c, but many do it.

[dengxi]

Easy to set up mainland bank account with passport

[mrgoodkat]

You can setup Wechat and Alipay as an overseas user. Eg. global.alipay.com

[flameproof]

Probably @flameproof meant to 'accept' payments as in 'have money sent to his wechat wallet'. Not a payment, per-se (your account -the receiving one - is a normal one not a merchant one).

Against the t&c, but many do it.

You pay gateway for Taobao would be some sort of Alipay. That needs a Chinese bank account. Personal account is fine for a private seller. That Alipay is connected to your China bank account.

Wechat Wallet is a service on top of you bank account. I can pay in McDonalds, Wal-Mart and probably a million places in China. I can also sen, or receive money from other Wechat users. Payment goes instantly into your Wechat wallet. Once in your Wechat Wallet you can send it also instantly back to your bank account. (the instant might depend on the bank, with ICBC it's instant)