Thailand Allows Foreign Tourists to Spend Cryptocurrency Through New Payment App

Thailand is expanding its crypto-friendly tourism initiatives by giving international visitors a new way to spend their digital assets. Foreign travelers can now convert supported cryptocurrencies into Thai baht and use the money for purchases at participating merchants throughout the country.

The service, called WORPT, connects external crypto wallets to Thailand’s popular QR PromptPay payment network. This allows tourists to pay at restaurants, shops, and other businesses without having to establish a local Thai bank account.

The initiative is part of Thailand’s wider strategy to attract international visitors and encourage higher tourism spending. By simplifying cryptocurrency payments, the country is looking to appeal to digital asset holders who want to use their crypto funds while traveling.

New WORPT App Connects Crypto Wallets With PromptPay

WORPT was developed through a partnership between Wipay and Waan Exchange (Waanx), with support from Tether, the issuer of USDT. The platform operates under Thailand’s TouristDigiPay regulatory sandbox, supervised by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The application allows visitors to convert supported digital currencies, including USDT and USDC, into Thai baht. Once their assets have been exchanged, users can make payments by scanning QR PromptPay codes at participating locations.

The system is designed to work with existing merchant payment infrastructure. This means retailers, hotels, and restaurants do not need to accept cryptocurrencies directly because they receive the converted amount in Thai baht through their regular payment channels.

Another key advantage is that tourists can use the service without opening a domestic bank account. They only need to complete identity verification through WORPT and connect their external digital asset wallet.

Thai media reports indicate that the platform initially charges a 1.5% conversion fee. Wipay is also preparing to introduce Visa prepaid cards, with physical versions planned for November and virtual cards expected in early 2027.

The Mall Group has become an early participant in the initiative, making it the first department store group to support the payment service. Its involvement could help bring crypto-funded transactions into mainstream retail environments.

Thailand Targets 200,000 Users and $440 Million in Spending

Wipay has established ambitious targets for WORPT’s initial rollout. The company expects approximately 200,000 users to join the platform during its first year.

It also projects that the service could facilitate 15 billion baht, worth roughly $440 million, in transactions over its 18-month trial period.

The company is focusing on travelers from South Korea, Japan, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. These markets could provide access to international tourists who already own digital assets and may be interested in using them to pay for travel-related expenses.

Thailand’s tourism industry could benefit from attracting this additional category of visitors. International arrivals are heading toward a second consecutive annual decline, while revenue from overseas tourism has also experienced weakness.

Because tourism plays an important role in the country’s economy, attracting new sources of visitor spending has become increasingly important. Cryptocurrency holders could represent an additional market, particularly as stablecoins become more widely used for international money transfers and financial transactions.

WORPT aims to make Thailand more accessible to these travelers by reducing the difficulties involved in converting and spending digital currencies.

Will Crypto Payments Become Common Across Thailand?

For many cryptocurrency holders, spending digital assets during international travel has traditionally involved several additional steps.

Before dedicated services such as WORPT, tourists generally needed to exchange their crypto holdings for Thai baht before paying for everyday expenses. This could involve cryptocurrency exchanges, OTC brokers, cash withdrawals, or transfers through local bank accounts.

Such arrangements made routine transactions, including restaurant payments, hotel bookings, and retail purchases, more complicated than necessary.

Security concerns created another obstacle. Thailand has experienced scams involving fake exchanges, fraudulent OTC brokers, and individuals offering attractive conversion rates before disappearing with customers’ funds.

Consequently, finding a reliable person or service to exchange cryptocurrency for local currency was not always straightforward.

WORPT attempts to eliminate some of these complications by integrating cryptocurrency wallets with Thailand’s established QR payment infrastructure. The platform handles the conversion process, while merchants continue receiving payments in their local currency.

If the service attracts sufficient users and expands its merchant network, it could make crypto-funded purchases a more practical option for international visitors.

For Thailand, the initiative represents an effort to connect its tourism industry with the growing global use of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. Its success will ultimately depend on adoption, merchant participation, and whether travelers find the service convenient enough to use regularly.