Category | Questions |
Adding a payment method | |
Activating or purchasing resources | |
Removing or updating a payment method |
Adding a payment method
What should I do if I cannot add my credit card?
If you cannot add your credit card, check for the following issues:
Unsupported card type: We accept credit or debit cards with a Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, or JCB logo that are enabled for international payments. We do not support prepaid cards, gift cards, virtual cards, or cards that only have the UnionPay logo.
Account limit: Each credit card can be attached to only one Alibaba Cloud account. If the card is already attached to another account, including a closed account in its cool-down period, you must first detach it from the original account before you can add it to a new one.
Issuer decline: Your card issuer may decline the transaction because the card does not support international transactions or because of the issuer's risk governance policies. Contact your card issuer for confirmation or try a different card.
Pre-authorization failure: The system initiates a pre-authorization of USD 1.00 (or the equivalent in your local currency) for verification. A failure can be caused by an insufficient balance or a block from your bank. Ensure your card has sufficient funds and that your bank permits the pre-authorization.
Browser or network issues: Browser cache, ad-blocking plug-ins, or network problems can interfere with the process. You can try using Chrome in incognito mode, clearing your cache, or using a different device.
What should I do if I cannot add my PayPal account?
Common reasons for failures when adding a PayPal account include the following:
PayPal account region restrictions: The Alibaba Cloud International Website (www.alibabacloud.com) does not support PayPal accounts registered in the Chinese mainland. Use a PayPal account registered outside the Chinese mainland.
Duplicate account restriction: The same PayPal account cannot be attached to multiple Alibaba Cloud accounts simultaneously. You must detach it from the original account before you can add it to a new one.
Page redirection error: You can try using Chrome in incognito mode, clearing your browser cache, or disabling ad-blocking plug-ins before you try to add the account again.
Authorization not synchronized: If the PayPal authorization is successful but the account does not appear as attached in the Alibaba Cloud console, it may be because the PayPal billing agreement was not approved. Contact PayPal customer service to confirm.
What should I do if my credit card is attached to a closed account?
A closed Alibaba Cloud account has a 15-day cool-down period. During this time, the credit card attached to it cannot be added to another account. You must wait for the cool-down period to end. The system will then automatically detach the card, and you can add it to a new account.
Can I use an unverified credit card?
No, you cannot. For security reasons, a credit card must be verified before it can be used for payments.
Why was my credit card charged after I added it to my Alibaba Cloud account?
To verify card ownership and protect your account, we initiate a small charge of less than USD 1.00 when you add a credit card. Find the transaction with the descriptor ALI*ALICLOUD on your bank statement. Then, go to the Payment Methods page in the Alibaba Cloud console, click Verify, and enter the exact amount of the charge to complete the verification. You have five attempts to enter the amount.
Why can't I see the verification charge on my bank statement?
The charge typically appears on your bank statement within two to three days. The exact posting time depends on your card issuer.
Will the credit card verification charge be refunded?
Yes, it will. The system initiates a refund within 24 hours. The time it takes for the refund to appear in your credit card account depends on your card issuer and can take up to 30 days.
Does Alibaba Cloud support Alipay?
The Alibaba Cloud International Website (www.alibabacloud.com) does not accept payment methods from mainland China, such as Alipay or WeChat Pay. For a list of available payment methods, see Introduction to Payment Methods.
What payment methods does Alibaba Cloud support?
The supported payment methods and restrictions for the Alibaba Cloud International Website (www.alibabacloud.com) are as follows:
Supported payment methods:
Credit cards (with a JCB, VISA, MasterCard, or AMEX logo)
PayPal
Unsupported payment methods or scenarios:
Cards that only have the UnionPay logo
PayPal accounts registered in the Chinese mainland
Prepaid cards, virtual cards, and gift cards
In addition, users with credit control can pay by bank transfer.
The available payment methods depend on the country or region where your account is registered and are displayed at checkout.
Bill Payment
What is 3D Secure authentication?
3D Secure authentication (3DS) is a security protocol for online payments. It adds an extra layer of identity verification to prevent payment fraud. When you make an online payment, you must authenticate your identity with your card issuer to ensure the transaction is secure.
When it is triggered: The system may require 3D Secure authentication if it detects a potential security risk during the process of adding a card or making a payment.
How it works: The system automatically redirects you to your card issuer's verification page. Follow the prompts to complete the identity verification, such as by entering a dynamic verification code or password.
Mandatory use: In some countries or regions, such as Malaysia and European Union member states, 3D Secure authentication is required by local law when you add a card.
If your credit card does not support 3D Secure authentication, contact your card issuer to enable this feature, or use a different card that supports it.
What should I do if a payment fails?
If a payment fails, check the following to resolve the problem:
Account risk: If the page prompts you to complete Know Your Customer (KYC) verification when placing an order, follow the instructions in the error message. Submit your payment method and identity documents to the KYC verification page using the identity information you used to register your Alibaba Cloud account. If the document review fails, it is usually because the information is inconsistent, the documents are blurry or expired, or the review is still in progress. Carefully check that the information is consistent and re-upload clear, valid documents that meet the requirements.
Check card status
If payments fail multiple times without a 3D Secure authentication prompt, contact your bank to confirm whether the card supports international or online transactions, whether the 3D Secure authentication feature is enabled, or if there are issues such as risk governance blocks or an insufficient balance.
The Alibaba Cloud International Website (www.alibabacloud.com) does not support credit cards issued in the Chinese mainland, prepaid cards, gift cards, or virtual cards. PayPal accounts registered in the Chinese mainland are also not supported. You must use a payment method from outside the Chinese mainland that meets the requirements.
Complete the 3D Secure authentication process: Payments often fail because the card issuer's 3D Secure authentication is not completed. During the payment process, check if you are redirected to your bank's verification page. Do not close the Alibaba Cloud payment page during this time. Alternatively, you can use the verification link in the internal message or email to complete the 3D Secure authentication and then retry the payment.
Check your browser and network environment: You can try clearing your browser cache, switching to the Chrome browser, using a different device, or enabling a network accelerator. This can help rule out issues such as the 3D Secure authentication page failing to load, or the payment being interrupted because of browser blocks, plug-in conflicts, or an unstable network.
What should I do if a 3D Secure authentication fails?
If a 3D Secure authentication fails, check the following items:
Confirm the 3D Secure authentication is initiated and completed by the card issuer: 3D Secure authentication is a security check initiated by your card issuer and must be completed on the verification page provided by your bank. If you do not see the verification page, check if it was blocked by your browser, or you can go to your mailbox or internal messages to manually click the verification link.
Contact your card issuer to confirm card status and features: If authentication fails multiple times, contact your bank to confirm that the card is activated, supports online and international payments, has the 3D Secure feature enabled, and has no restrictions on transactions. Some failures are caused by the card issuer's risk governance blocks or pre-authorization denials.
Cancel the unpaid order and try again: If an order is in the "Unpaid" state, you can first cancel the order on the order management page and then place a new order. If 3D Secure authentication is required during payment, the system will redirect you to your bank's page. Do not close the Alibaba Cloud payment page at this time.
Change the payment method: If your current credit card consistently fails 3D Secure authentication, you can add another eligible credit card and set it as the default payment method, or try using PayPal, depending on regional availability.
Ensure your browser and network environment are supported: Before paying, you can clear your browser cache, switch to a mainstream browser such as Chrome, try again on a different device (such as a PC), and ensure your network is stable. In some cases, you may need to enable a network accelerator or disable plug-ins that block pop-ups to ensure the 3D Secure authentication page loads correctly.
Why can't I pay an unsettled bill?
An unsettled bill cannot be paid immediately because it has not yet been finalized. We recommend that you wait until the official bill is generated at the beginning of the next month to make the payment.
What is a rounding-off discount?
The Rounding-off Discount on the spending overview page is a credit applied during the settlement of pay-as-you-go services.
The system calculates fees to three decimal places. During actual settlement, the amount is truncated to two decimal places. The truncated amount is credited to your bill as the rounding-off discount.
When are pay-as-you-go fees charged?
When your accumulated pay-as-you-go fees reach a specific threshold, the system charges your default payment method.
Typically, the billing threshold is USD 1,000 (before tax) for credit cards. For PayPal, the threshold varies by account and ranges from USD 8 to USD 500 (before tax).
If your default payment method is PayPal, the system places a pre-authorization on your PayPal account when you activate a pay-as-you-go product and incur charges.
In addition to charges triggered by the billing threshold, the system also processes a payment at the end of each month for any outstanding pay-as-you-go balance that has not yet reached the threshold.
Removing or updating a payment method
How do I remove or change a payment method?
Log in to Expenses and Costs > Funding Account > Third-Party Payment Method Binding:
To change: Select any valid payment method (add one first if none exist) and click Set as Preferred External Payment Method.
To remove:
You can directly remove a payment method only if it is not the default, not used for prepayments, and has a status of "Expired" or "Not Preferred".
The default payment method cannot be removed directly. You must first add a new payment method and set it as the default before you can remove the original one.
If your account has only one valid payment method, you cannot remove it if you have running resources, unsettled bills, or overdue payments.
Each credit card can be attached to only one Alibaba Cloud account. We do not support prepaid cards, virtual cards, gift cards, PayPal accounts registered in the Chinese mainland, or cards that only have the UnionPay logo. Failures to add a card are often because of bank risk controls or regional restrictions. In this case, contact your card issuer or use a different card.
Why can't I remove the default payment method?
To ensure normal account operations, you must keep at least one valid default payment method. To remove the current default method, you must first go to the Funding Account page, add a new payment method, set it as the Preferred External Payment Method, and then remove the old one.
My credit card was stolen or lost. How do I change my payment method?
If your credit card is stolen or lost, follow these steps to change your payment method and reduce risk:
Add before you remove: On the Funding Account page, add a new valid credit card or link a PayPal account. Set the new method as the default payment method, and then you can manually remove the old card. The system does not support directly modifying sensitive information such as the CVV (security code). To update its information, you must add the card again.
Switch to an alternative payment channel: If you cannot use a credit card temporarily, you can link a PayPal account registered outside the Chinese mainland as an interim solution.
If I change my Alibaba Cloud account's logon email, can I still use PayPal?
Yes, you can. Changing the logon email for your Alibaba Cloud account does not affect the linked PayPal account. The original payment method remains valid.