Alibaba Cloud offers three payment methods: card, PayPal, and wire transfer. This document explains the requirements and procedures for each method.
Use online payments with a card or PayPal
Both individual and enterprise accounts can use online payment methods. You must add a card or PayPal account to your Alibaba Cloud account. After you link a payment method, you can use it to pay for subscription resources, such as subscription ECS instances, or to automatically settle monthly bills for pay-as-you-go resources.
The available payment methods depend on the region where your account is registered. Refer to the following table to see which methods are available. indicates that the method is supported. indicates that the method is not supported.
Payment method | US | EU member states | Non-EU European countries | Malaysia | Other countries/regions | |
Card | Visa | |||||
Mastercard | ||||||
American Express | ||||||
JCB | ||||||
PayPal | ||||||
Other countries/regions: Includes but is not limited to Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong (China), Taiwan (China), and Macao (China).
Alibaba Cloud does not support UnionPay-only cards or PayPal accounts registered in the Chinese mainland.
The following sections describe how to add a card or PayPal account.
Add a card
Before adding a card, ensure that it is enabled for online and international transactions. Your card must also have a sufficient balance or credit limit to cover a USD 1.00 pre-authorization charge.
You can add a card during account registration. For more information, see Add payment information.
You can also do so in the Expenses and Costs console:
Log on to the Billing Account page. In the Bind Third-Party Payment Method section, click Add Payment Method.
NoteIn the legacy console, go to Payment Methods and select Add Payment Method.
On the Card tab, enter the following information.
Field | Notes | |
Card Number | None | |
Expiration Date | Use the MM/YY format. Cards that expire in the current month cannot be added. | |
CVV | Security code. | |
Cardholder Name | Must match the name on the card. For corporate cards without a cardholder name, you can enter a personal name. | |
Company Name on Card | Optional if you are using a corporate card. | |
Billing Address | Include the full street, city, and postal code. | |
Click Submit. The system immediately initiates a pre-authorization to verify the card's validity. After the pre-authorization is successful, the system adds the card. The pre-authorization amount is typically USD 1.00. This charge appears on your bank statement from ALIBABACLOUD.COM and is usually reversed by your card issuer within 1 to 5 business days.
The system automatically sets the first card you add as the Preferred External Payment Method. You can start using it after the Payment Method Status changes to Active.
Alibaba Cloud does not charge a processing fee for card payments. However, if your card's settlement currency is different from the transaction currency, your card issuer may charge a foreign currency conversion fee. For more information, contact your card issuer.
You may be prompted for 3D Secure authentication when making a payment. The system will automatically open or redirect to your card issuer's verification page. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the verification. 3D Secure authentication is an online payment security protocol that helps prevent fraud by requiring additional identity verification from the cardholder.
Add a PayPal account
Log on to the Billing Account page in Expenses and Costs. In the Bind Third-Party Payment Method section, click Add Payment Method.
NoteIn the legacy console, go to Payment Methods and select Add Payment Method.
On the PayPal tab, click Next. You are redirected to the PayPal website.
Log on to your PayPal account and confirm the PayPal agreement. The system automatically adds PayPal as your Alibaba Cloud payment method and initiates a USD 1.00 pre-authorization.
If your PayPal account has no bank cards or other funding sources, PayPal may require you to add one. If you have questions about adding a funding source, contact PayPal customer support.
To switch your payment method, first ensure that you have another Active payment method added to your account. Then, from the list of payment methods, select the one you want to use and set it as the Preferred External Payment Method.
When you need to delete a payment method, consider its Payment Method Status and the number of payment methods on your account:
Payment methods with an Invalid status or those that are not set as the preferred method can be deleted directly from the console.
If you have only one Active payment method, you cannot delete it if you have running resources, outstanding bills, or an overdue payment. If you have no resources or outstanding bills, submit a ticket to request the deletion.
Use wire transfers
Wire transfers are available only to credit-controlled users. To use this payment method, contact your account manager. You can use your credit limit to purchase resources first, then pay your monthly bill by wire transfer before the due date on the invoice.
Alibaba Cloud provides two types of wire transfer accounts: dedicated remittance accounts (exclusive to users, automatic crediting) and non-dedicated remittance accounts (shared accounts, manual crediting).
Comparison | Dedicated remittance account (recommended) | Non-dedicated remittance account |
Description | A unique remittance account assigned to each Alibaba Cloud account. | A shared bank account specified in your contract or provided by your Alibaba Cloud sales representative. |
Crediting method and timeline | Funds are automatically credited to your Alibaba Cloud account balance after the bank transfer is received. No manual action is required. | Funds are not automatically credited. You must contact your Alibaba Cloud sales representative to claim the payment before it can be credited to your account balance. |
Procedure | Get account details → Make wire transfer → Funds are automatically credited | Get account details → Make wire transfer → Query transaction record → Claim payment → Wait for approval → Funds are credited |
It typically takes 2 to 4 business days for a wire transfer to be processed by the Alibaba Cloud system. The exact time depends on your country, region, and bank. Funds are credited to your account after the bank transfer is received.
The following sections describe how to use both types of wire transfers.
Method 1: Make a transfer to a dedicated account
New console
On the Billing Account page in Expenses and Costs, click Top-up/Remittance.
On the Add Funds page, select the account you want to top up, click Corporate Remittance, and view your dedicated remittance account details.
If you need a document with the account details, click Download Payment Request Form.
Supported bank account information varies by country. The information displayed in the console is always the most current.
The dedicated bank account for your account cannot be used for other Alibaba Cloud accounts. Double-check the account information before making a transfer to prevent errors.
Use your bank account to transfer funds to your dedicated remittance account. You can use online banking, a mobile banking app, an ATM, or an in-person bank counter.
The transferred amount is automatically credited to your account balance. You can check your balance to confirm receipt.
Legacy console
On the Account Balance page in Expenses and Costs, click Deposit.
On the Account Deposit page, view your dedicated remittance account details.
Supported bank account information varies by country. The information displayed in the console is always the most current.
The dedicated bank account for your account cannot be used for other Alibaba Cloud accounts. Double-check the account information before making a transfer to prevent errors.
Use your bank account to transfer funds to your dedicated remittance account. You can use online banking, a mobile banking app, an ATM, or an in-person bank counter.
The transferred amount is automatically credited to your account balance. You can check your balance to confirm receipt.
Method 2: Make a transfer to a non-dedicated account
Use your bank account to transfer funds to Alibaba Cloud's receiving bank account. You can use online banking, a mobile banking app, an ATM, or an in-person bank counter.
After making the transfer, contact your Alibaba Cloud sales representative to claim the payment so it can be credited to your Alibaba Cloud account balance.
By default, Auto-Deduction or Auto-Pay Monthly Bills is enabled. When funds are credited to your account, they are automatically used to pay outstanding bills in chronological order. You can manage this feature on the Billing Account page.
If you disable Auto-Deduction, the system will not automatically pay any outstanding amounts. You must pay your bills manually. After receiving an invoice, ensure that you make the transfer by the payment due date.
If you are a credit-controlled user and also have a card linked to your account, the card will not be charged automatically.
FAQ
How do I find my account's registration region?
Log on to the Alibaba Cloud Management Console. In the Account Center, navigate to Basic Information to view your registered country/region and registration date.
Can I add a card that has not been activated or verified?
No, you cannot. To protect your account and financial security, you must first verify your credit card to confirm that you are the cardholder before adding it for payments.
Why did my attempt to add a card fail?
Adding a card may fail for the following reasons:
The card network is not supported. For example, UnionPay-only cards are not supported.
The card type is not supported. Alibaba Cloud does not accept prepaid, gift, or virtual cards.
Your card's issuing country is not supported at this time.
Your card is not enabled for online payments. Contact your card issuer to enable this feature.
Your card has an insufficient balance, which caused the USD 1.00 pre-authorization (or MYR 1.00 for users in Malaysia) initiated by Alibaba Cloud to fail.
The USD 1.00 pre-authorization (or MYR 1.00 for users in Malaysia) initiated by Alibaba Cloud was rejected by your card issuer. Contact your card issuer for assistance.
If you see the error message below, it may indicate that your card is a new type that our system does not yet recognize. Please contact customer service for manual verification.
Will the pre-authorization charge for adding a card be refunded?
Yes, it will. After the USD 1.00 pre-authorization is successful, the system automatically reverses the charge. In most cases, the pre-authorization hold is released by your card issuer within 1 to 5 business days.