Thailand now allows tourists to convert their crypto to baht for everyday spending with TouristDigiPay.
By Godfrey Benjamin
Editor Hamza Tariq
Updated
3 mins read
On Monday, Thailand rolled out its “TouristDigiPay” pilot program, which is focused on boosting tourism in the region.
According to a published statement, the program will run for 18 months, with regulators keeping an eye on its activities.
Thailand’s TouristDigiPay pilot program allows foreign visitors to convert crypto assets into Thai baht to facilitate everyday spending.
The exchange of crypto to local currency will only be conducted through regulated platforms across the country. After that, the funds can be spent at merchants nationwide, according to a statement released on Facebook.
The change is a reflection of the transition that is happening in the tourism sector. Tourists are relying strongly on electronic payments with increased interest in digital assets.
At the same time, officials have pointed out that the program is not designed to promote crypto assets as a direct payment method.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira noted that the new initiative, called “TouristDigiPay,” will run for an initial 18 months.
This will be under a regulatory sandbox overseen by the Ministry of Finance, the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Anti-Money Laundering Office, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The former Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, had previously proposed a crypto payments sandbox, but limited to Phuket, to drive tourism.
However, this new plan covers the entire Thailand landscape while shifting from conceptual discussions to a structured, regulator-backed framework.
The Nation, a local news outlet, pointed out that the SEC had recently concluded a public consultation on the use of crypto assets to support tourism growth.
Meanwhile, the TouristDigiPay pilot program requires that participants comply with Thailand’s strict anti-money laundering (AML) and customer verification rules. Also, they are expected to meet know-your-customer (KYC) requirements.
Thailand has been at the helm of crypto affairs for a long time, constantly introducing policies that favor the growth of the region.
It prides itself as one of the earliest countries to introduce clear legal and tax frameworks for digital assets. In July, the Cabinet approved a Finance Ministry proposal to exempt crypto transactions from capital gains tax.
The exemption will be in effect until December 31, 2029. Just before the end of Q1 2025, the SEC was reportedly working on the transformation of its capital markets with the launch of a tokenized securities trading system.
The incoming system will utilize blockchain technology to streamline trading processes.
It would boost market transparency, offering investors a faster, more efficient way to buy and sell digital representations of traditional assets. Companies that offer securities services will be allowed to facilitate the sale of these tokens to their customers under strict regulatory oversight.
Generally, tokenization is becoming an expanding niche in the crypto sector, with more organizations tokenizing their assets.
For example, Goldman Sachs and Bank of New York Mellon partnered to offer mirrored tokenization services for money market fund investments through blockchain technology.
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Benjamin Godfrey is a blockchain enthusiast and journalist who relishes writing about the real life applications of blockchain technology and innovations to drive general acceptance and worldwide integration of the emerging technology. His desire to educate people about cryptocurrencies inspires his contributions to renowned blockchain media and sites.
