Many new cross-border sellers struggle with one key question: Is it absolutely necessary to open a physical corporate bank account in Hong Kong to sell internationally? Can electronic payment accounts like FanPay and AirPay be used on their own for the long term?

In fact, these two options aren’t mutually exclusive; rather, they serve as complementary payment tools for different stages of a store’s operations. Today, we’ll break it down from four perspectives—compliance, cost, branding, and risk—to help you find the right solution for your business.

Everyone thinks that when running a cross-border e-commerce store, the most convenient option is to have the money deposited directly into a personal bank account—no taxes, no bookkeeping, and you can spend the money however you want. But let me tell you […]

Yesterday, I had tea with a friend who runs a Taobao clothing store. He downed a glass of iced Americano in one gulp, and the first thing he said was, “Take a look—do you think my store is about to go under?” He runs […]

Last week, a business owner who’s been running a Taobao store for eight years came to see us. The first thing he said was, ”Is it really impossible to keep a personal store going anymore?” He said rumors have been circulating daily in industry chat groups lately—some people have been required to upgrade their business registration, others have had their withdrawals restricted outright, and still others have received notices to pay back taxes. He doesn’t know how much longer his store can hold out.

Takealot currently operates on an invitation-only basis. Chinese sellers must obtain an invitation link from an official business development manager or an authorized service provider to submit an application; they cannot register directly on the official website. Onboarding requirements: Business license from Mainland China or Hong Kong + legal representative’s ID + proof of operation on a third-party platform + cross-border payment account. The review process takes 3–5 business days, and new stores are exempt from monthly fees for the first three months. Below are the latest and complete onboarding requirements and procedures for 2026.