Alibaba Cloud offers three payment methods: bank card, PayPal, and wire transfer. This document describes the requirements and procedures for each method.
Pay online with a bank card or PayPal
These methods are available for both personal and enterprise accounts. You must add a bank card or PayPal account to your Alibaba Cloud account. After a payment method is added, 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 services.
The following table shows the available payment methods based on the country or region where your account is registered. In the table, indicates that the method is available, and indicates that it is unavailable.
Payment method | United States | EU member states | Non-EU European countries | Malaysia | Other countries/regions | |
Bank card | Visa | |||||
Mastercard | ||||||
American Express | ||||||
JCB | ||||||
PayPal | ||||||
Other countries/regions: This includes but is not limited to Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong (China), Taiwan (China), and Macao (China).
Alibaba Cloud does not support bank cards that only feature the UnionPay logo or PayPal accounts registered in the Chinese mainland.
Add a bank card or PayPal
The following sections describe how to add a bank card or PayPal account.
Add a bank card
Before you add a card, ensure it is enabled for online payments and international transactions. Your card must have sufficient funds or credit to cover a USD 1.00 pre-authorization charge.
You can add a bank card during account registration. For more information, see Add payment information.
Alternatively, you can add a card in the Expenses and Costs console after you create an account but before you purchase any resources:
Log in to the Billing Account page. In the Bind Third-Party Payment Methods section, click Add Payment Method.
NoteIn the legacy console, go to Payment Methods and click Add Payment Method.
On the Bank Card tab, enter the following information.
Field | Important | |
Card number | None | |
Expiration date | Use MM/YY format. Cards that expire in the current month cannot be added. | |
CVV | The 3- or 4-digit security code on the back of your card. | |
Name on card | Must match the name on the card. If it is a corporate card without a cardholder name, you can enter a personal name. | |
Company name on card | This field is optional for corporate cards. | |
Billing address | Include the full street address, city, and postal code. | |
Click Submit. The system initiates a pre-authorization to verify the card. If successful, the card is added to your account. The pre-authorization amount is typically USD 1.00. It appears on your bank statement as a charge from ALIBABACLOUD.COM and is usually released by your card issuer within 1 to 5 business days.
The system automatically sets the first bank card you add as the Preferred External Payment Method. The card can be used after its Payment Method Status changes to "Active".
Alibaba Cloud does not charge a service fee for bank card payments. If your card's settlement currency differs from the transaction currency, your card issuer may charge a foreign currency conversion fee. For more information, contact your card issuer.
3D Secure (3-Domain Secure) is an online payment security protocol that requires cardholders to complete an additional identity verification step with their card issuer to prevent fraud. You may be prompted to complete a 3D Secure verification when making a payment. The system automatically opens your card issuer's verification page. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the verification.
Add a PayPal account
Log in to the Billing Account page in the Expenses and Costs console. In the Bind Third-Party Payment Methods section, click Add Payment Method.
On the PayPal tab, click Next. You are redirected to the PayPal website.
Sign in to your PayPal account and accept the PayPal agreement. The system automatically adds PayPal as a payment method for your Alibaba Cloud account and initiates a USD 1.00 pre-authorization.
If your PayPal account does not have a linked bank card or another funding source, PayPal may require you to add one immediately. If you have questions about adding a funding source to your PayPal account, contact PayPal customer support.
Switch a payment method
To switch your payment method, first ensure you have another Active payment method added to your account. Then, in the list of payment methods, select the one you want to use and set it as the Preferred External Payment Method.
Remove or detach a payment method
When you need to remove a payment method, evaluate its Payment Method Status and the number of methods on your account:
If multiple payment methods are attached to your account, you can directly remove any method that is inactive or not set as the Preferred External Payment Method. The method set as the Preferred External Payment Method cannot be removed.
If you have only one Active payment method, you cannot remove it directly if you have running resources, unsettled bills, or an overdue payment. If your account has no resources or unsettled bills, you can submit a ticket to request its removal.
Use a wire transfer
Wire transfers are available only to users with a credit limit. To use this method, contact your account manager. You can use your credit limit to purchase resources. After your monthly bill is generated, you must pay it by the due date on the invoice by wire transfer.
Alibaba Cloud provides two types of wire transfer accounts: a Dedicated Wire Transfer Account (unique to your account, for auto-settlement) and a Non-Dedicated Wire Transfer Account (a public account that requires you to manually claim the payment).
Comparison | Dedicated wire transfer account (Recommended) | Non-dedicated wire transfer 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 time | Funds are automatically credited to your Alibaba Cloud account balance after the wire transfer is received. No manual operation is required. | Funds are not automatically credited to your account balance after the wire transfer is received. You must contact your Alibaba Cloud sales representative to claim the payment, which is then credited to your Alibaba Cloud account. |
Process | Obtain dedicated account details → Make the wire transfer → Funds are automatically credited. | Obtain non-dedicated account details → Make the wire transfer → Query transaction records → Initiate a claim → Wait for approval → Funds are credited. |
Depending on your country/region and remitting bank, it may take 2 to 4 business days for Alibaba Cloud to process a wire transfer. The actual arrival time depends on your bank's processing speed.
The following sections describe the procedures for both types of wire transfers.
Method 1: Make a payment via a dedicated account
New console
On the Billing Account page in Expenses and Costs, click Add Funds.
On the Add Funds page, select the account to which you want to add funds, click Business Wire Transfer, and view your dedicated wire transfer account details.
If you need a document with the dedicated account details, click Download Payment Request Form.
The available bank account information for business wire transfers varies by country. The information displayed in the console is the most up-to-date and accurate.
The dedicated wire transfer account for your Alibaba Cloud account cannot be used for other Alibaba Cloud accounts or users. Verify the account information before you make a transfer to avoid errors.
Transfer the funds from your bank account to the dedicated account using online banking, a mobile banking client, an ATM, or a bank counter.
The transferred amount is automatically credited to your account balance. Check and confirm the transaction.
Legacy console
On the Account Balance page in the Expenses and Costs console, click Deposit.
On the Account Deposit page, view your dedicated wire transfer account details.
The available bank account information for business wire transfers varies by country. The information displayed in the console is the most up-to-date and accurate.
The dedicated wire transfer account for your Alibaba Cloud account cannot be used for other Alibaba Cloud accounts or users. Verify the account information before you make a transfer to avoid errors.
Transfer the funds from your bank account to the dedicated account using online banking, a mobile banking client, an ATM, or a bank counter.
The transferred amount is automatically credited to your account balance. Check and confirm the transaction.
Method 2: Make a payment via a non-dedicated account
Transfer the funds from your bank account to Alibaba Cloud's receiving bank account using online banking, a mobile banking client, an ATM, or a bank counter.
After the transfer, contact your Alibaba Cloud sales representative to claim the payment. The funds are credited to your Alibaba Cloud account balance only after you claim the payment.
The Automatic Write-off or Auto-Pay feature is enabled by default. Once the transfer is credited, it automatically pays off outstanding bills in chronological order. In the new console, you can enable or disable Automatic Write-off on the Billing Account page. In the legacy console, you can enable or disable Auto-Pay in the Available Credit section of the Account Overview page.
If Automatic Write-off or Auto-Pay is disabled, the system does not settle any outstanding amounts for any billing month. You must pay your bills manually. After you receive an invoice, you must make the transfer by the due date on the invoice.
If you are a user with a credit limit and have also added a bank card, the bank card is not charged automatically.
FAQ
How do I determine my account's country or region?
Log on to the Alibaba Cloud Management Console. In the Account Center, go to Basic Information to view the country or region you selected and your registration date.
Can I add a credit 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 ownership before you can add it and use it for payments.
Why can't I add my bank card?
Adding your card may fail for several reasons, such as:
Unsupported card network: Alibaba Cloud does not support UnionPay-only cards.
Unsupported card type: Alibaba Cloud does not support prepaid cards, gift cards, or virtual cards.
Unsupported issuing country: Your card's issuing country is not currently supported.
Online payments disabled: Your bank card is not enabled for online payments. Contact your card issuer to enable this feature.
Insufficient funds: The USD 1.00 pre-authorization (or MYR 1.00 for users in Malaysia) initiated by Alibaba Cloud failed.
Issuer decline: The USD 1.00 pre-authorization (or MYR 1.00 for users in Malaysia) was declined by your card issuer. Contact your card issuer for more information.
Unrecognized card number: If you see the following error message, your bank card may not be activated or the system may have failed to recognize your card number. Contact customer support for assistance. After the card number is manually identified, you can add the card.
Is the pre-authorization charge from adding a bank card refunded?
Yes, it is. After the USD 1.00 pre-authorization is successfully processed, it is automatically voided. Your card issuer typically releases the hold within 1 to 5 business days.