Thailand has rolled out a new initiative, TouristDigiPay, aimed at letting international tourists convert digital assets into Thai baht for everyday payments.
The program, set to begin on 18 August 2025, comes as the country faces a slowdown in tourism, particularly from Chinese visitors, and seeks new ways to attract foreign spending.
TouristDigiPay allows foreign visitors to register with licensed digital asset and e-money providers regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bank of Thailand (BOT).
Tourists must complete mandatory identity checks in line with Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) requirements.
Only those temporarily staying in Thailand are eligible to participate.
Through the initiative, tourists can make payments at merchants across the country, from large stores to smaller outlets, by scanning QR codes using the Tourist Wallet, a dedicated e-wallet developed by the Bank of Thailand.
Merchants receive payments in Thai baht, while visitors’ digital assets are converted automatically, simplifying transactions and reducing barriers for crypto users.
How TouristDigiPay works (Source: Thailand’s SEC)
To prevent financial crimes, authorities have imposed spending limits.
Merchants with card terminals can process up to 500,000 baht per month, while smaller merchants are capped at 50,000 baht.
Transactions involving high-risk businesses are banned, and tourists can only withdraw funds when closing their accounts, with no cash access during their stay.
The SEC has partnered with the Ministry of Finance, AMLO, BOT, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to launch TouristDigiPay as a sandbox project.
Ms. Pornanong Busaratrakul, SEC Secretary-General, said,
“The TouristDigiPay project is an extension of the existing ecosystem, combining the digital asset trading system under the supervision of the SEC and the electronic payment system under the supervision of the Bank of Thailand. This initiative includes appropriate risk mitigation and a user identity check (KYC/CDD) process in accordance with the criteria of the AMLO and relevant agencies.”
The 18-month pilot aims to provide tourists with an additional way to spend digital assets while supporting foreign investment and economic activity in Thailand.
Pre-consultations for business operators began in early August 2025, and the service is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of the year.
After the pilot concludes, authorities will evaluate its effectiveness and explore potential expansion.
The initiative marks a new approach for Thailand in integrating digital assets into everyday tourism spending, providing both convenience for visitors and a controlled environment for regulators.
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