China is rapidly ditching the centuries-old habit of paying its bills with trunkloads of cash, and making the shift to virtual forms of payment faster than any other country on earth. Figures released by the People’s Bank of China show a sharp rise in the popularity of anything other than cash – from debit cards to credit cards to electronic wallet mobile apps. China has a staggering 4.2bn bank cards in circulation – enough for every mainlander to have at least three.