Thailand
Thailand is one of the most account-to-account-driven payment markets. PromptPay, the instant payment service launched with Bank of Thailand backing in 2016, is used by shoppers who scan a Thai QR code or approve a payment in their mobile banking app; Worldpay estimates it drove 44% of e-commerce spending in 2025. E-wallets are the second pillar, at 30% of e-commerce value in 2024, led by TrueMoney (cited by 48% of online shoppers in Worldpay’s survey) and ShopeePay. In 2024 credit cards took about 11%, debit cards about 6% and cash, mainly cash on delivery, about 7%. To convert, a merchant pricing in Thai baht (THB) needs PromptPay QR, mobile banking payments, TrueMoney and ShopeePay, and cards.
- Online
accepted here, and everywhere
Card schemes and wallets that are not particular to Thailand
currencies
In-store payments in Thailand
Cash has more than halved in Thai shops, falling from 68% of in-store value in 2019 to 31% in 2024, according to Worldpay. Thai QR codes linked to PromptPay are now the leading way to pay in person, at 43% of in-store spending in 2025, and are accepted from market stalls to chain stores. Bank of Thailand data for July 2026 show about 1.0 million card terminals (EDC), 26.9 million credit cards and 49.6 million debit cards in circulation. Cards are used for larger tickets, averaging about THB 2,040 per terminal payment, while most PromptPay transfers average about THB 441.
E-commerce in Thailand
Worldpay estimated Thai e-commerce at about US$30 billion in 2024 and forecasts 9% annual growth to about US$50 billion by 2030. Marketplaces such as Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop dominate retail e-commerce. Cash on delivery is still common: in the World Bank’s 2024 Findex survey, 41% of Thais who bought something online had paid cash on delivery. Merchants should show prices in baht, make PromptPay QR the default for mobile checkout and offer cards and wallets for shoppers who prefer credit or rewards.
Payment regulation in Thailand
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) oversees payments under the Payment Systems Act B.E. 2560 (2017), with policy set by its Payment Systems Committee. Designated payment services need a BOT licence or registration, including credit, debit and ATM card services, e-money issuers, payment facilitators that accept electronic payments on behalf of merchants, and electronic money transfer services. The BOT supervises these providers on capital and liquidity, governance, risk management and security, user protection and competition. PromptPay and the Thai QR standard are run by the banking industry under BOT policy, and the BOT is extending them through cross-border QR payment links with other countries.
Banking and financial inclusion
Thailand has near-universal account ownership: the World Bank’s Global Findex 2025 found that 92% of adults had an account in 2024 (96% in 2021), 57% owned a debit card, 8% a credit card and 42% had a mobile money account; 59% made a digital payment in the past year. Bank of Thailand data for July 2026 show 93.7 million PromptPay registrations, around 85.8 million PromptPay transfers a day and 116.5 million e-money accounts.
What are the most popular payment methods in Thailand?
Which payment providers operate in Thailand?
Which currencies can merchants accept in Thailand?
Sources · 6
- World Bank Global Findex Database 2025 (account ownership, Thailand)
- Worldpay Global Payments Report 2025 (Thailand country page)
- Treasury Today: Worldpay releases Global Payments Report 2026
- Bank of Thailand: Payment Data Indicators, July 2026
- Bank of Thailand: Payment systems supervision
- Bank of Thailand: Digital payment (PromptPay, cross-border payment, PromptBiz)
Guide researched September 2026. Payment markets change quickly — check with providers before relying on it. Compiled from public sources. How we compile this