How to add Alipay to your WooCommerce checkout

Key takeaways

• Alipay is essential for reaching Chinese customers online. It’s the preferred payment method for hundreds of millions of shoppers in Mainland China and Hong Kong, and offering it at checkout can significantly improve conversion for these audiences.

• You need a gateway to connect WooCommerce to Alipay. WooCommerce doesn’t support Alipay on its own, so you’ll need a payment gateway that handles the connection, currency support, payment confirmation, refunds, and settlement.

• Airwallex simplifies Alipay and international payments. With one WooCommerce integration, you can accept Alipay, settle in major currencies like GBP, and easily add other local payment methods as you expand into new markets.

Alipay is one of the most widely used payment methods in Mainland China and Hong Kong, and it’s increasingly expected by international shoppers who prefer mobile wallets over cards. 

This guide shows you exactly how to add Alipay to your WooCommerce store using Airwallex. You’ll learn what Alipay is, how the payment flow works, what setup involves, and how to manage Alipay payments once they’re live, so more international visitors become customers.

What Alipay is, and why use it with WooCommerce

Alipay is a digital wallet that lets customers pay online using their mobile phone instead of entering card details. It’s used by hundreds of millions of people, mainly in Mainland China and Hong Kong.

When a customer chooses Alipay at checkout, they confirm the payment in the Alipay app on their phone. For many shoppers, this is a familiar and trusted way to pay.

For WooCommerce merchants, Alipay matters because:

• Many customers in China prefer it over cards

• It reduces friction at checkout for international buyers

• It supports customers who don’t use Visa or Mastercard

If your WooCommerce store sells to Chinese customers, international students, tourists, or shoppers who use Chinese wallets, Alipay lets you meet them where they already are.

How Alipay payments work in WooCommerce with Airwallex

To accept Alipay in WooCommerce, you need a payment gateway (which connects your online store to payment methods like Alipay). Here’s how the payment flow works with Airwallex as your payment gateway.

1. A customer selects Alipay at checkout in your WooCommerce store

2. Your Airwallex WooCommerce plugin sends the payment request to Airwallex

3. The customer sees a QR code or is redirected to Alipay, depending on their device

4. The customer approves the payment in the Alipay app

5. Airwallex confirms the payment and updates the order in WooCommerce

6. Funds are processed and settled to your Airwallex account

From the customer’s point of view, the experience is quick and familiar. On your side, Airwallex handles the connection to Alipay, the payment status, and settlement.

Read more: Everything you need to know about payment gateways 

What you need to accept Alipay in WooCommerce with Airwallex

With Airwallex, your customers can pay using Alipay in their local currency, while you receive funds in GBP (or your preferred currency) without needing a Chinese or Hong Kong bank account. It’s easier to accept payments from international customers while keeping funds in a currency that works for your business.

Before you go live with Alipay, you’ll need a few basics in place.

A WooCommerce store on WordPress

If you already sell online with WooCommerce, you’re set. WooCommerce runs on WordPress, so you’ll just need access to your WordPress admin panel to install plugins and manage payments.

An Airwallex business account

You’ll need an Airwallex account to act as your payment gateway. You can open an account online and manage everything through one dashboard, including Alipay and other payment methods.

Completed onboarding and verification

As part of setting up your account, Airwallex will ask for information about your business and website. This includes basic company details and how your store operates. These checks are required for regulated payment providers and help keep payments secure.

Online payments enabled in the dashboard

Once your account is approved, you’ll enable online payments in the Airwallex dashboard. This allows your WooCommerce store to connect to Airwallex and offer payment methods like Alipay at checkout.

How to set up Alipay in WooCommerce using Airwallex

Setting up Alipay in WooCommerce with Airwallex is relatively straightforward. Here’s what to do.

Step 1: Install the Airwallex WooCommerce plugin

Download the official Airwallex Online Payments plugin from the WooCommerce marketplace. In your WordPress admin panel, go to Plugins, install the plugin, and activate it. Once activated, Airwallex will appear as a payment option in your WooCommerce settings.

Step 2: Connect the plugin to your Airwallex account

Log in to your Airwallex web app, open the Developer section, and select API keys. Click Create API key and Airwallex will generate a Client ID and API key for you. Copy these details, then go to your WordPress admin area, open WooCommerce → Settings → Payments → Airwallex, paste the keys into the relevant fields, and save. This securely links your store to Airwallex so it can create and confirm payments and update orders automatically.

Step 3: Enable Alipay in the Airwallex dashboard

In the Airwallex web app, go to Payment methods and enable Alipay. You may be asked to confirm details about your website or business before Alipay is activated. This step makes Alipay available to your store.

Step 4: Configure payment settings in WooCommerce

Return to your WooCommerce payment settings and turn on Alipay. You can control how Alipay is shown at checkout and which currencies are supported here too.

Step 5: Test payments before going live

Use test mode to place a test order and complete a payment. Check that the payment is confirmed correctly and that the order status updates in WooCommerce. Once everything works as expected, switch to live mode and start accepting Alipay payments.

How to manage Alipay payments with Airwallex

Once Alipay is live, you manage everything from the Airwallex dashboard. You can:

• View and track payments: See all Alipay payments in the Airwallex dashboard alongside card and other local payment methods, with clear status updates.

• Monitor payment status: Check whether a payment is pending, completed, or refunded in real time.

• Issue refunds: Open a payment in the dashboard and select the refund option. Where supported, funds are returned to the customer through Alipay and the order status is updated.

• Track settlement and payouts: View payout timing and settlement currency to understand when funds will reach your account.

• Export reports: Download payment reports for reconciliation in WooCommerce or to share with your accounting software.

Alipay payments sit in the same dashboard as your other payment methods so tracking, reporting, and bookkeeping stay consistent as your store grows.

Why Airwallex is the best Alipay gateway for WooCommerce

Airwallex is built for WooCommerce businesses that sell internationally. With it, you get:

• Access to Alipay and other local payment methods through one integration

• Less operational overhead than managing multiple gateways

• Support for multi-currency checkout and global settlement

• Strong security standards and regulatory compliance

This makes it easier to scale your store without rebuilding your payments setup.

Other ways to accept Alipay in WooCommerce

There are other options, but they come with limits.

China-focused payment providers

Some providers specialise in China payments and offer Alipay as a primary method. This can work well if your store is mainly targeting Mainland China. The trade off is that you may need extra setup steps, China specific documentation, or a separate process for settlement and reconciliation, especially if you also sell outside China.

Regional gateways that support Alipay in certain markets or currencies

Some gateways offer Alipay but only for a limited set of regions, checkout flows, or processing currencies. That can become restrictive if you later want to expand your checkout to support additional local payment methods, or settle funds in different currencies.

Third party aggregators and multiple plugins

Another route is using a third party aggregator, or stacking separate plugins to cover different payment methods. This can get Alipay live quickly, but it often means more moving parts: separate contracts, more than one dashboard, and extra work when you need reporting, refunds, or support.

Leading businesses use Airwallex to accept Alipay in WooCommerce

If you want Alipay now and a flexible setup for international growth later, Airwallex keeps things simpler. You can add Alipay through one WooCommerce integration, manage payments in one place, and expand to other local payment methods without rebuilding your checkout. It’s the easier and more scalable approach for selling across regions.

FAQs

Can I accept Alipay in WooCommerce using Airwallex?

Yes. Airwallex supports Alipay through its official WooCommerce plugin.

Do I need a Chinese entity to accept Alipay through Airwallex?

No. UK businesses can accept Alipay without a Chinese entity, subject to onboarding and approval.

How long does it take to set up Alipay in WooCommerce with Airwallex?

Once onboarding is complete, plugin setup is quick. Approval timelines depend on business details.

What currencies can I settle in when using Airwallex?

Settlement currencies depend on your Airwallex account and the Alipay variant, and commonly include GBP, EUR, or USD.

Is the Airwallex WooCommerce plugin suitable for UK businesses?

Yes. The plugin is designed to support UK merchants selling internationally.

Can I accept other payment methods alongside Alipay with Airwallex?

Yes. Airwallex lets you accept cards and other local payment methods alongside Alipay through the same integration.