Thailand Opens Doors to Crypto Payments for Tourists

• Foreign tourists can spend crypto in Thailand through linked credit cards, with merchants receiving baht.
• Major financial reforms aim to connect capital and digital markets while boosting investor protections and modernizing the SEC’s role.

Thailand is rolling out a new plan that will let foreign tourists spend cryptocurrencies during their stay—without putting pressure on the Thai baht. The move, announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira at the “Dailynews Talk 2025” seminar on May 26, marks a strategic shift to make the country’s tourism sector more digital-friendly.

Under this upcoming system, tourists can connect their crypto wallets to credit cards and use them for purchases across the country. While the payments will be made in crypto, local businesses will receive Thai baht as usual—often without even knowing digital assets were used. “This can be implemented immediately if the infrastructure is ready. It won’t involve our local currency,” Pichai said.

The pilot program, now under review by the Finance Ministry and the Bank of Thailand, is part of Thailand’s broader push to welcome post-pandemic tourism while building a more future-ready digital economy. It’s designed to attract tech-savvy travelers and ease their payment experience, all while maintaining monetary stability at home.

Legal Reforms Aim to Bridge Traditional and Digital Markets

This crypto-friendly tourism move is just one piece of a larger financial overhaul. Thailand is working to unify the legal frameworks governing capital markets and digital assets, which currently operate under two separate laws—the Securities and Exchange Act and the Emergency Decree on Digital Asset Businesses. This legal divide has made it harder for investors to move freely between the two spaces.

Minister Pichai said it’s time to bring both markets under one roof. “Investors in these two sectors are often the same people. We need a structure that lets capital flow smoothly between them,” he explained. The planned reforms will enable transfers between traditional stocks and digital assets, using a single KYC process that’s already in place.

Institutional investors, including insurance funds that currently face tight restrictions, could benefit significantly. These funds manage hundreds of billions of baht but are often limited to low-risk government bonds. Loosening the rules could help funnel more capital into high-growth sectors and align Thailand’s financial markets with global norms.

Boosting Investor Trust with Stronger Oversight and Blockchain Integration

As part of the overhaul, Thailand is also working to beef up its regulatory enforcement. A new bill in the works will give the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) greater powers to directly prosecute major cases. The goal is to build more trust in the system and create a safer environment for investors.

The government is also considering tighter rules for high-frequency trading and short selling, with potential civil and criminal penalties that mirror international standards.

At the same time, Thailand isn’t shying away from blockchain innovation. Pichai reaffirmed his support for the tech, including the upcoming launch of “G-Tokens”—blockchain-based tokens that will let everyday investors buy slices of government bonds. This builds on the country’s earlier steps to greenlight stablecoins like USDT and USDC for crypto trading.

The long-term vision, Pichai said, is to turn Thailand into a regional hub for digital finance. By modernizing regulations and embracing new technology, the country hopes to create a more inclusive financial ecosystem while keeping risk in check.

Thailand’s embrace of crypto puts it in line with countries like Japan and the UAE, which are actively integrating digital assets into their financial systems. 

The Tourism Authority highlighted the benefits for visitors: “With crypto-linked credit cards, travelers can skip hefty fees and enjoy smoother transactions,” the agency noted, adding that the move could especially attract digital nomads and crypto investors.

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