Paying for an AI coding API
with Alipay and WeChat
Alipay caps a single payment at CNY 2,000 and the platform absorbs the fee; WeChat caps at about CNY 900 with card payment on the same checkout page; crypto carries no platform fee but is verified by hand, usually within a day. The CNY minimum is 100.
Four limits and fees
Alipay per-transaction cap
An upstream channel limit. The platform absorbs the fee, so what you pay is what lands.
WeChat per-transaction cap
Processed through a cross-border acquirer; the final charge settles at WeChat's rate. Split larger amounts or pay by card.
Crypto platform fee
We verify the on-chain transaction by hand rather than routing through a third-party crypto gateway, so there is no platform fee.
Minimum CNY top-up
Whole amounts only; the USD channel starts at $1. The two balances are separate ledgers and do not mix.
Why paying an overseas AI API is often the blocker
Self-serve checkout at the frontier vendors mostly takes overseas cards, with no Alipay or WeChat entry point, and even with a card a cross-border transaction is often declined by risk control. That is why people turn to resale channels that can take local currency. The question to ask is not "is it supported" but three concrete ones: what is the per-transaction cap, who absorbs the fee, and how long does it take to settle. Those three decide how many payments you need, what you actually pay, and when you can start.
Channels and limits in force (2026-09-02)
Alipay: the platform absorbs the fee, capped at CNY 2,000 per transaction — split larger amounts. WeChat Pay: processed through a cross-border acquirer, works by desktop QR scan and inside the WeChat app, capped at about CNY 900, with card payment available on the same checkout page; the final amount settles at WeChat's rate and includes fees and any applicable tax. Crypto: verified by hand, no platform fee, usually credited within a day and faster during business hours.
What one top-up looks like end to end
Pick the currency first. The CNY and USD balances are separate ledgers that do not mix, so check which currency your intended plan is priced in before paying.
Choose a channel. Within the per-transaction cap, use Alipay or WeChat; above it, split the payment or use a card. If you are fee-sensitive and can wait a day, crypto is the cheapest.
Alipay and WeChat top-ups provision themselves and take effect immediately. For crypto, send us the coin and chain, the amount, the on-chain transaction hash and your account email; we credit it after verification.
Confirmed terms vs common misreadings
Confirmed
① The platform absorbs the Alipay fee. ② WeChat and card share one checkout page. ③ Crypto has no platform fee but needs manual verification. ④ The CNY minimum is 100 and only whole amounts are accepted. ⑤ The two currency balances are separate and do not mix.
Common misreadings
① "The WeChat charge equals the figure on screen" — not necessarily; cross-border acquiring settles at WeChat's rate of the moment, including fees and any tax. ② "Crypto is fastest" — the opposite: it is verified by hand, usually within a day. ③ "I can get a refund if I overpay" — refunds are not supported, but member-to-member balance transfers are. ④ "A CNY balance can buy a USD-priced plan" — it cannot.
Which channel suits which case
Small amount, needed now
Use Alipay (up to CNY 2,000 per transaction, fee absorbed) or WeChat (about CNY 900). Provisioning is self-service and takes effect immediately, with no human in the loop. Fits individuals and small teams.
Large amount, fee-sensitive
Split across several Alipay payments, use crypto (no platform fee, verified by hand, usually within a day), or pay by bank transfer, which has no per-transaction cap and supports VAT invoicing. Fits team procurement and pre-funding.
Three details that trip people up
① The amount shown on the WeChat page and the final charge can differ: cross-border acquiring settles at WeChat's rate and includes fees and any tax — WeChat's own charge governs. ② Duplicate payment: WeChat confirmation can take a few minutes and the page prompts you once it lands, so do not pay again in the meantime. ③ For crypto, send 2–3% extra to cover on-chain fees and rate movement; the surplus is credited normally.
On QCode
The recharge page shows each channel's current fee and limits and governs. If you need an invoice, request it by email after topping up; the processing fee has two bands by invoice value — a flat CNY 80 below CNY 2,000 and 5% at CNY 2,000 and above. Enterprise customers can pay by bank transfer with no per-transaction cap. We do not offer refunds (a provisioned digital good occupies account resources immediately), but member-to-member balance transfers are supported.
FAQ
Why will Alipay not take a large single payment?
An upstream channel limit caps it at CNY 2,000 per transaction. Split it across several top-ups, or switch to a bank transfer, which has no such cap.
The WeChat charge differs from the amount I saw. Why?
WeChat Pay is processed through a cross-border acquirer, so the final charge settles at WeChat's rate and includes fees and any applicable tax. WeChat's own charge governs; if the gap is clearly larger than expected, send us the order number and we will check.
How long until it lands, and should I pay again?
Alipay and WeChat usually confirm within a few minutes and the page prompts you once credited — do not pay again during that window. Crypto is verified by hand, usually within a day and faster during business hours.
Can a CNY balance buy a USD-priced plan?
No. The CNY and USD balances are tracked separately and do not transfer between each other; a top-up lands in the balance of its own currency. Check the plan's pricing currency before paying.
How does a crypto top-up work, and why is it manual?
After sending, give us the coin and chain, the amount, the on-chain transaction hash and your account email; we credit it after verification. Doing it by hand avoids a third-party crypto gateway, which is why the platform fee is zero; the cost is the wait, usually within a day. Send 2–3% extra to cover on-chain fees and rate movement.
Can I get a refund if I top up too much?
No. What we sell is a digital good: once provisioned it occupies account resources and starts metering. Member-to-member balance transfers are supported instead — email us the amount and the recipient's address, usually handled within one business day. Withdrawals are not supported.
Sources
Limits, fees and settlement times: the channel notes on the recharge page and the console guidance (checked 2026-09-02). The two invoice-fee bands and the refund and balance-transfer terms: the FAQ on /pricing. All of these may change with payment-channel policy; the recharge page at the time of payment governs.
Pick the currency, then top up
CNY and USD balances do not mix — check which currency your plan is priced in first.
Further reading
Crypto payment guide
On-chain top-ups with USDT and USDC: process, fees and settlement time.
AI API invoicing and corporate payment
The two VAT invoice fee bands, bank transfer flow and enterprise procurement.
QCode pricing guide
Plan tiers, the unit-price basis and the arithmetic people get wrong.
The limits, fees and settlement times on this page reflect the terms in force on 2026-09-02 and may change with payment-channel policy; the recharge page at the time of payment and the payment platform's final charge govern.