X Money needs a US phone number: can you get one from China? You also need an SSN and a US address (2026)
The short answer: a US phone number alone will not open X Money. The official FAQ requires you to be 18 or older, a US resident, with a verified US phone number and an X account in good standing; at sign-up you also give an SSN and a US address, checked against US public records, so without US status no SIM gets you past this. If you are a US resident with an SSN who is temporarily in China and only lacks a US number for texts, go straight for the ENC US T-Mobile physical SIM, which ships to China: no US trip, you activate it yourself; a real T-Mobile number, not VoIP; $28 (about ¥199) with 30 minutes and 100 texts in the first month, and no roaming fees for codes over Wi-Fi. It works just as well for US codes from Apple ID and ChatGPT.
On this page
- 1. The short answer: find your situation
- 2. X Money's official requirements: five conditions plus identity verification
- 3. Why a phone number is not enough
- 4. Who can still use it from China: US residents with an SSN
- 5. Getting a US number from China: four SIMs compared
- 6. Why choose LarkSIM's US T-Mobile physical SIM
- 7. Before using ENC for X codes, check these points
- 8. What not to do
- 9. Need a US number? Order now
- 10. FAQ
- 11. Related guides
As X Money rolls out in the US, people on X have started asking: the first step needs a US phone number, so which number can you get from China? The answer has two halves: whether you can get a number, and whether you meet everything else. Most people get stuck on the second half.
X Money rules reflect its official FAQ as of 19 October 2026, SIM details reflect LarkSIM's product page, and the other US SIMs reflect their own websites and help centres. Rules can change at any time, so check the pages on the day you act.
The short answer: find your situation
| Your situation | Can you open X Money? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No SSN and not a US resident (most users in China) | No. The phone number is only one of the requirements | A number won't get you through sign-up; a US number still helps with Apple ID, ChatGPT and other codes. Don't borrow someone else's SSN or address |
| US resident with an SSN, temporarily in China | You can apply if your identity checks pass | You only lack a US number: go for the ENC US T-Mobile physical SIM, shipped to China, $28 including the first month |
| In the US | Apply as normal under the official requirements | A local US SIM is the simplest option |
X Money's official requirements: five conditions plus identity verification
X Money is X's financial service, with deposits held at its partner bank, Cross River Bank. According to the official FAQ, you must meet all of the following:
| Condition | Official requirement | Where users in China get stuck |
|---|---|---|
| Age | At least 18 | Usually not an issue |
| Residence | US resident; currently rolling out to US residents in stages | Living in China long term does not make you a US resident |
| Phone number | A verified US phone number | A Chinese number won't do; you first need a US number that receives texts |
| X account | In good standing | Restricted or locked accounts must be resolved first |
| Account documents | Accept the account opening documents | Just follow the prompts |
| Identity verification | You may be asked for your full name, date of birth, SSN, phone number and full residential address or ZIP code; if they don't match public records, you upload a government photo ID and take a selfie | Without an SSN and a US address, this step fails |
The official FAQ explains that the SSN and address are required by US financial regulations, which require every account holder's identity to be verified. PO boxes cannot be used as a residential address, and updating your address in the app means attesting that you live in that state.
A paid subscription is not one of the requirements. X subscription tiers affect the interest rate, cashback and some fee waivers, not eligibility.
Why a phone number is not enough
Many people assume the blocker is not having a US number, but the number is the easiest part. The real hurdle is identity verification: your name, date of birth, SSN and address are checked against US public records, a mismatch means uploading ID and a selfie, and if that fails too you contact support.
- check_circleNo SSN: automatic verification fails at this step. The official FAQ does not mention any substitute number.
- check_circleNo US address: the address must match public records. A parcel-forwarding warehouse is not where you live and will not match.
- check_circleLiving in China long term: the requirement is US residency. The FAQ line that you can keep using the account while travelling applies to US residents who already have one, not to users in China opening one.
- check_circleOverseas networks: media reports say US citizens abroad have been blocked when signing up over a VPN or foreign IP. The official FAQ does not say this, so follow what the app tells you.
Who can still use it from China: US residents with an SSN
The people who genuinely need a US number in China for X Money are those who work, study or hold a green card in the US, have an SSN and a US address, and are temporarily in China, with their old US number lapsed or roaming too costly to keep on. The official FAQ says US residents can keep using the account while travelling. Prepare in this order:
- 1
Check your identity details
Have your SSN, a US residential address that matches public records (with the apartment number) and a valid photo ID to hand. Enter your name exactly as on your ID, with no nicknames or abbreviations. - 2
Get a US number that receives texts
If your old number still works, keep it; if it has lapsed, switch to a US SIM you can activate from China, compared in the next section. - 3
Add the number to your X account and verify it
Add the US number in your X account settings and enter the code sent by text. Whether X sends a code or accepts a given number is up to X. - 4
Open Money in the X app
X says Money is rolling out to US residents in stages and will notify you when it reaches your account. Fill in your identity details as prompted; if they don't match, upload your ID and take a selfie as asked. - 5
Keep the number afterwards
The number is linked to your X account. If the SIM is suspended or the number cancelled, receiving codes and updating details later becomes painful, so renew on time.
Getting a US number from China: four SIMs compared
If you already meet X Money's other requirements, only two things matter when choosing a SIM: whether you can activate it from China, and whether it reliably receives texts.
| Item | ENC US T-Mobile physical SIM | Ultra Mobile PayGo | Red Pocket | Tello |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Can you activate it from China? | Yes. $28 (about ¥199), shipped to an address in China; the phone must be on an overseas network the first time you turn on Wi-Fi Calling | Official channels are in the US; in China it is sold mainly through e-commerce and resellers | Must be bought and activated within the 50 US states and Washington, DC | A new line must be used in the US before international roaming can be turned on |
| How texts arrive in China | Over Wi-Fi Calling on Wi-Fi, counted against the plan's 100 texts | Direct roaming, $0.10 per text | GSMA plans include China roaming, which must be set up while in the US | A new line opened from China relies on Wi-Fi Calling only |
| Monthly cost | First month included in the $28, then ¥66–99 a month topped up by support | $3 every 30 days, texts extra | Annual plans from $5 a month equivalent | Monthly plans from $5 |
| Best for | In China with no plan to activate in the US, on an iPhone 6S or later | People who already have a PayGo SIM | In the US or going soon | In the US and happy to manage the account yourself |
If you already have Ultra Mobile PayGo, keeping it alive is easiest. In the US, Red Pocket annual plans and Tello monthly plans are both cheap. In China and needing a new number, choose the ENC US T-Mobile physical SIM, which ships to China. For a fuller comparison see giffgaff disconnected or Tello banned: which SIM next and ENC vs Tello.
Why choose LarkSIM's US T-Mobile physical SIM
For a new US number from China, the case for this SIM is the most direct:
- check_circleNo US trip needed: the physical SIM ships to China and you activate it yourself in about 5 minutes. Red Pocket must be bought and activated in the US, and a new Tello line must be used in the US before roaming works.
- check_circleA real carrier number: a +1 mobile number on T-Mobile, not a VoIP number or a shared number from an SMS-receiving site, so account recovery codes keep reaching you.
- check_circleLow upfront cost: $28 (about ¥199) including the first month's 30 minutes and 100 texts; PayGo SIMs on Chinese e-commerce start at ¥368.
- check_circleNo roaming fees for codes in China: texts arrive over Wi-Fi Calling whenever you are on Wi-Fi.
- check_circleRenew without an overseas card: email LarkSIM support before expiry and they top it up; the same plan costs ¥66–99 a month.
- check_circleTested before shipping: every SIM is checked before it is sent; ENC has Chinese-language support for activation, and LarkSIM support handles orders and renewals.
Order now: Buy the US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC), $28 (about ¥199) including the first-month plan.
Before using ENC for X codes, check these points
- check_circleNumber: a real +1 mobile number on the T-Mobile network, not a VoIP number; assigned at random by the carrier and cannot be chosen.
- check_circlePhone: iPhone 6S or later, Chinese or overseas models; locked, jailbroken and SIM-adapter phones are not supported.
- check_circleReceiving texts: showing No Service after inserting it is normal. Connect to Wi-Fi, turn on Wi-Fi Calling and wait 3–5 minutes for the Wi-Fi Calling label before texts work.
- check_circleRenewal: no self-service top-ups; contact support before expiry, and the same plan costs ¥66–99 a month depending on the tax in the number's state. The number is cancelled after 30 days suspended.
- check_circleAfter-sales: a special item that cannot be returned or exchanged once shipped.
If you qualify and need a US number for codes in China, buy the US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC). For setup once it arrives, see the ENC Mobile activation guide; if there is no signal after inserting it, start with ENC SIM no signal? Turn on Wi-Fi Calling in 3 steps.
What not to do
- check_circleBorrowing or buying someone else's SSN: this is identity misuse; the account and funds can be frozen, and there is legal risk.
- check_circleUsing a forwarding address or an invented US address: the address must match public records, and changing it means attesting that you live in that state.
- check_circlePaying someone to open an account or buying a ready-made one: the account is not in your name, so you lose control of any money you put in.
- check_circleLinking X to a temporary number from an SMS-receiving site: the number gets reused by others, who could recover your account with a code.
Need a US number? Order now
If X Money sign-up is stuck at the phone number, the number is the easiest part to solve: a US T-Mobile physical SIM shipped to China, no US trip, activated in 5 minutes, receiving codes over Wi-Fi. Even without X Money, it receives US codes from Apple ID and ChatGPT.
Buy the US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC): $28 (about ¥199) including 30 minutes and 100 texts in the first month, with every SIM tested before shipping.
FAQ
Can users in China open X Money?expand_more
Is an SSN required for X Money?expand_more
Do I need X Premium first?expand_more
Can a US resident with an SSN open it from China?expand_more
Can ENC receive X verification codes?expand_more
Why LarkSIM's ENC rather than Red Pocket or Tello?expand_more
Is ENC worth buying for X Money?expand_more
Which US SIM is easiest for receiving texts in China?expand_more
Real +1 number · T-Mobile network · Card checked before dispatch
US T-Mobile physical SIM (ENC)
A real US +1 mobile number, not VoIP, delivered as a physical SIM to your address in China. Check the current price, Wi-Fi Calling and keep-number notes on the product page before ordering.