My wife has been making monthly transfers from her WeChat to mine.

But this month when I tried to receive the payment, the app asked me to verify my identify by registering a SECOND bank account with WeChat - citing some regulatory requirements.

Has anyone else run into this? Is this a new thing, or have these monthly transfers accumulated over some threshold to trigger this?

I only have one bank account in China in my own name, do not wish to link (if even possible) corporate account that I have, nor open a second bank account just to verify my identify - but suppose I must if there's no other way.

For me when I tried to pay someone, I couldn't do it unless I verify my identity. This has happened at least twice for me. They ask via Wechat my passport number/expiration date/a picture of me. Once I did this I was able to proceed. Have you tried using Alipay instead of Wechat? I do have more than one bank account link to my Wechat. Don't know if I didn't, I would have experience the same problems as you. It's kinda of scary if you can only pay with WeChat/Alipay and you don't have any 'cash'. Not looking forward to a cashless society. Have you tried contacting the Wechat help line?

I think my problem relates specifically to receiving payments (something related to money laundering regulations). I can send money and make payments without problems.

I recall daily and annual transfer quota to Weixin from the major banks can be set by bank app, on their website, or in person at teller. Those security settings were for transferring out from account balance. I also remember WeChat Pay has 200K annual limit. Not sure if that quota was altered for foreigners.

Have your wife tried transferring via red envelopes on WeChat Pay for lesser amounts?

From my own experience, more authentication requirements for secondary WeChat account transfers for foreign passports in the past two year or so.

We are nowhere near 200k annually, and the problem is with my WeChat accepting the payment that my wife sent - so it's not about quota out of her bank account either.

We didn't have this problem last month, so either some regulatory implementations changed, or our regular transfers (< 30k annual to date) got somehow flagged in system to trigger this.

I ask her to do it as direct bank transfer instead of WeChat.

Did you try contacting Wechat help?

Yes. I have had the same problem this morning as well. Only applies to 'receiving money' on wechat. I can still pay bills on wechat and I can still receive money on Alipay. Specifically won't allow an existing or previously linked card to be re-added. It worked fine until today. Nothing has changed at my end, must be at their end. New restrictions on foreigners!

Has anyone tried adding a completely new bank account card, not previously used?

My daughter got hit with this whammy this morning. She called TenCent and the staff told her it's part of strengthened internet security (2 bank cards). Of course. this allows Tencent to dig even further into one's finances and potentially expose one to hacking, identity theft, etc.

Seems we'll need to maintain at least one or two "dummy" bank accounts to protect ourselves from potential hacking, while also complying with alleged state laws.

Solution - open a second bank account - it's not difficult and you don't really need to keep more than ¥100 in the account. Banks also love this as it increases clients artificially - for which they get bonuses for new accounts...

Alright, good to know it's not just me.

Sounds like it's only matter of time until either AliPay starts enforcing this as well, or Tencent drops it too.