2026 How to Recharge Xiaohongshu (XHS/RED) from Overseas: Why a Mobile Number is Required

Xiaohongshu (小红书, also known as RED) is one of the most popular lifestyle and social commerce platforms in China. Whether you’re using it for shopping, discovering lifestyle tips, or running influencer campaigns, you may eventually need to recharge your XHS account.

 

But if you are outside China, you’ll quickly face two issues:

1. A valid mobile number is required to receive OTP (One-Time Password) codes.

2. XHS only accepts RMB (Chinese Yuan) for recharges.

At OnlineTopupChina, we help overseas users overcome these challenges so they can recharge safely and conveniently without a Chinese bank account.

Can You Register Xiaohongshu with a Foreign Mobile Number?

Yes! Xiaohongshu now allows foreign mobile numbers to register. You can sign up using numbers from regions such as Singapore, Malaysia, the US, Europe, and more.

However, no matter if your account is tied to a Chinese number or a foreign number, the system will still send OTP codes to that registered number when you recharge or make sensitive changes.

That means:

• Your mobile number must stay active and able to receive international SMS.

• If you registered with a Chinese SIM card, you should keep it active even when living abroad (usually only RMB 10–30 per month).

• If you registered with a foreign number, make sure your carrier allows SMS from China and roaming is enabled when needed.

Why Xiaohongshu Only Accepts RMB

At the moment, XHS payments are restricted to RMB inside China. The app does not support foreign currencies, PayPal, or overseas-issued credit cards. Normally, you would need:

• A Chinese bank card,

• Or a linked Alipay/WeChat Pay account with RMB balance.

For users abroad, this creates a big challenge—unless you use a trusted third-party recharge service like OnlineTopupChina.

How to Recharge Xiaohongshu from Overseas with OnlineTopupChina

We make it simple for international users to recharge their Xiaohongshu accounts:

1. Provide your XHS account details (linked mobile/email).

2. Select your recharge amount in RMB.

3. Pay using your preferred local method (USD, SGD, MYR, etc.).

4. We process the top-up in RMB directly to your XHS wallet.

This works whether your account was registered with a China number or a foreign number.

Key Takeaways

• Xiaohongshu allows foreign mobile numbers for registration.

• A valid mobile number is always required because OTP is sent during recharge.

• Payments are RMB-only, so overseas credit cards and currencies are not accepted directly.

• With OnlineTopupChina, you can recharge XHS easily and securely from anywhere in the world.

Need a fast and reliable way to recharge your Xiaohongshu account?

👉 Visit OnlineTopupChina.com today to top up from overseas without RMB hassle.