WeChat Pay & Alipay: a guide for African businesses
By Équipe Easy Market · 10 July 2026 · 1 min read
In China, cash has practically disappeared: more than 90% of transactions go through WeChat Pay or Alipay. For an African importer, understanding these tools is essential.
Why Chinese suppliers prefer them
Small suppliers and wholesale market vendors (Guangzhou, Yiwu) work almost exclusively via WeChat. Payment is instant, free and integrated into the same messaging app where orders are negotiated. Many refuse international bank transfers, which are too slow and costly for them.
The problem for African businesses
WeChat Pay and Alipay require a Chinese bank account and a local phone number. From Cameroon, it is therefore impossible to pay directly — hence the need for intermediaries. And this is where scams proliferate: informal middlemen who disappear with the money, opaque exchange rates, no proof of payment.
How to secure your payments
- Use an established intermediary, legally registered in Cameroon with a team in China.
- Demand proof of transaction (transfer screenshot, supplier confirmation).
- Agree on the exchange rate in advance, in writing.
- Split large payments: deposit at order, balance after inspection.
The Easy Market service
You pay in FCFA in Douala (cash, Mobile Money, transfer), our team in China pays your supplier within 24 hours via WeChat Pay, Alipay or bank transfer, and you receive proof of transaction. Simple, traceable, secure.