Thailand launches WORPT app, allowing tourists to convert cryptocurrency into baht for payments
According to Bloomberg, Thailand has launched the payment app WORPT, allowing foreign tourists to convert cryptocurrency into baht and pay at shops and restaurants by scanning QR codes, without opening a Thai bank account. The app was jointly developed by Wipay and Waan Exchange, and its founders include Chaval Jiaravanon, a member of Thailand’s billionaire Chearavanont family.
WORPT operates under the TouristDigiPay regulatory pilot launched by the Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It currently supports converting USDT and USDC into baht. Merchants receive baht through existing payment systems and do not directly handle cryptocurrency. Wipay founder Pavin Jittiwongsamarn said the main target users are from South Korea, Japan, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
The company expects to attract 200,000 users in its first year and facilitate 15 billion baht (about $440 million) in spending during the 18-month pilot period. The move comes as Thailand’s foreign tourist arrivals and international tourism revenue have declined for several consecutive periods.
Original source:
Title: Thailand Lets Tourists Turn Crypto Into Baht for Spending
Publisher: Bloomberg
Publication date: November 13, 2026
URL: bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-11-13/thailand-lets-tourists-turn-crypto-into-baht-for-spending
Source nature: News report
Verification status: The full report was actually read for this report
Supporting content: WORPT allows tourists to convert cryptocurrency into baht and pay by QR code; operates under the TouristDigiPay pilot
ABAB AI Insight
Bloomberg reported on November 13, 2026, that Thailand launched the WORPT app, allowing foreign tourists to convert cryptocurrency into baht and then pay merchants by scanning local QR codes, without a Thai bank account. The app was developed by Wipay and Waan Exchange and operates under the SEC’s TouristDigiPay regulatory sandbox.
It currently supports converting USDT and USDC into baht. After funds are loaded into e-money accounts regulated by the Thai central bank, merchants receive baht through existing payment systems. This design means merchants do not directly receive cryptocurrency. The company expects 200,000 users in the first year and spending of 15 billion baht (about $440 million) during the 18-month pilot period.
The pilot is being launched as Thailand’s foreign tourist arrivals and international tourism revenue are facing consecutive declines. Similar crypto-funded payment services for foreign tourists have previously been launched in Bhutan and Brazil. WORPT is mainly aimed at cryptocurrency holders from South Korea, Japan, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
The mechanism first converts crypto assets into fiat currency before they enter the local payment network, while merchants still settle in baht. It is currently in a regulatory pilot stage, and the specific merchant coverage, fees, and limits are subject to the actual application and regulatory rules.
ABAB News · Cognitive Law
Thailand has launched the WORPT app, allowing tourists to convert cryptocurrency into baht and pay by QR code without a Thai bank account.
The app operates under the SEC’s TouristDigiPay regulatory pilot and currently supports converting USDT and USDC into baht.
The company expects 200,000 users in its first year and about 15 billion baht in spending during the 18-month pilot period.