Key Takeaways
- Thailand launched a digital wallet to let foreign visitors spend USDT and USDC via Thai QR Promptpay.
- Waanx and Wipay bridged crypto conversions to THB local fiat, driving tourist spending across retail sectors.
- WORPT will issue Visa Prepaid Cards and host an industry panel with The Mall Group and Tether in November 2026.
Stablecoin Payments Through Thailand’s QR Network
A new digital wallet platform has launched in Thailand, allowing foreign tourists to pay for goods and services using cryptocurrency converted into Thai Baht. The platform, known as WORPT, launched under Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) tourist Digipay regulatory sandbox initiative.
According to a media statement, it lets international travelers convert supported digital assets, currently limited to the major stablecoins USDT and USDC, into local currency to pay merchants via Thailand’s existing QR Promptpay network.
Jointly developed by Waan Exchange and Wipay, WORPT integrates the full transaction chain, from accepting digital token deposits to executing the exchange into baht and routing payment to merchants. Under the sandbox design, local businesses do not accept cryptocurrency directly. Instead, payments are settled entirely in local fiat currency through standard payment systems.
The initiative brings together key global and domestic players across financial technology and retail. Collaborators include stablecoin issuer USDT, retail operator The Mall Group, and payments network Visa. WORPT is also preparing to introduce physical and virtual Visa prepaid cards. Once rolled out, users will share a single baht balance for both QR-code payments and card transactions without needing separate transfers or top-ups.
“The key objective behind WORPT is to enable international travelers to make practical use of the cryptocurrencies they already have while visiting Thailand,” said Pavin Jittiwongsamarn, co-founder of WORPT. “We have therefore focused on connecting the entire process… providing travelers with greater convenience and more payment options throughout their journey.”
Shift Toward Everyday Crypto Use
Developer executives emphasized that the setup complies with identity verification, transaction monitoring, and anti-money laundering (AML) regulatory rules mandated by the sandbox framework.
“Historically, cryptocurrencies have largely been viewed as assets for holding and trading,” said Janeboon Roonnaphaya, co-founder of WORPT. “What makes the current development particularly significant is their transition toward practical utility in everyday life.”
WORPT executives, along with representatives from Tether, The Mall Group, and regulatory bodies, plan to host an official launch event and panel discussion in November 2026 to discuss the future of digital asset payments in tourist economies.
