Amid the global growth of digital assets, expanding from investment and speculation to daily use, the "WORPT" application has recently launched under the Tourist DigiPay Sandbox project.
This app connects the crypto world with Thailand's payment system. Waanx received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to join the project on 25 Sep 2026 GMT+7.
It allows foreign tourists to convert digital assets into Thai baht via an e-Wallet and pay immediately through Thai QR PromptPay without needing a Thai bank account, while merchants receive payment in baht via the usual QR code.
The launch is a collaboration between Waanx, a digital asset business, WiPay, an e-Money service provider, and Tether, issuer of USDT, aiming to unlock purchasing power from global crypto-holding tourists and expand spending channels into Thai businesses.
WORPT targets about 150,000 active users and forecasts circulation of approximately 15 billion baht into the Thai economy within the project's 18-month duration.
Bunyavee Playapan, Thailand manager for Tether, USDT issuer, said that currently over 736 million users worldwide hold USDT, the largest stablecoin user base globally, growing by about 30 million users each quarter.
Tether's initial goal was to be a financial tool accessible to all, especially those excluded from traditional banking. Over recent years, USDT has evolved from a crypto trading store of value to a means for saving, transferring, and daily spending.
Partnering with WORPT, USDT acts as a bridge between traditional finance and the digital economy, allowing foreign tourists in Thailand to convert highly liquid USDT into baht and pay by scanning QR codes instantly, with merchants needing no adjustments, accepting payments as usual.
Leon Sing Fung, director of Whale Exchange Co., Ltd. (Waanx), a digital asset trading and brokerage firm, said Waanx serves as the back-end infrastructure (Broker Layer) for real-time conversion of digital assets like USDT into Thai baht.
Waanx's system also complies with international standards, including customer identity verification (KYC), transaction and wallet source monitoring (KYT) to trace coin origins, and the Travel Rule as per the task force on financial measures, ensuring trust, anti-money laundering, and prevention of terrorist financing.
He praised Thai regulators for their innovation, noting that in Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, while crypto trading is allowed via licensed exchanges, no legal framework yet permits stablecoins to scan QR codes and convert directly to local currency for real-life spending as Thailand does.
Pawin Jittiwongsaman, founder of WiPay Co., Ltd., an e-Money provider regulated by the Bank of Thailand, said WiPay has developed this technology for nearly five years before the Sandbox project emerged.
For actual use, foreign tourists can download the WORPT app on iOS and Android, verify their identity via e-KYC by facial scan and reading the chip on electronic passports (e-Passport), then link to an external digital asset wallet.
When users transfer assets, the system performs KYT (Know Your Transaction) to ensure the wallet is not linked to money laundering, arms trafficking, or illegal activities before converting coins into baht in the e-Wallet for immediate payment scanning.
WiPay manages the data integration between decentralized blockchain systems and centralized traditional banking transparently, initially setting a currency conversion fee of 1.5%.
Pawin added WORPT aims for a minimum of 100,000 to 200,000 users in the first 12 months, estimating from target tourists’ average spending of about 50,000 baht up to hundreds of thousands per person, projecting 8–10 billion baht circulating in the Thai economy in that period.
Over the full 18-month project, WORPT expects about 150,000 active users, bringing approximately 15 billion baht of purchasing power from global digital asset holders into Thailand's economy, also anticipating about 1.95 billion baht in income distribution to local entrepreneurs and SMEs.
WORPT's user expansion strategy targets foreign tourists from countries with significant digital asset ownership and usage, such as South Korea, Japan, Middle Eastern nations, and Southeast Asia, aiming to reach digital-era travelers and attract new spending into Thailand.
Since WORPT is designed specifically for foreigners and not yet available to Thais, marketing efforts focus on key entry points, starting at Suvarnabhumi Airport, then expanding to other international airports like Phuket and Koh Samui, alongside joint promotions with global partner Tether to raise awareness among new tourist segments before arrival.
During the 18-month project, service providers must collect actual transaction data and usage behavior to submit to the SEC for evaluation to guide future service direction and regulatory frameworks.
Woraluck Tulaporn, Chief Marketing Officer of The Mall Group, revealed that The Mall is the world's first retail partner to pilot WORPT payments at checkout points, with system tests showing convenience, speed, and transparency as prices in baht are calculated and coins deducted clearly.
Currently, foreign tourists pay at The Mall with 66% credit cards, nearly 20% QR Code (a rapidly growing segment), and 15% cash.
Accepting WORPT will help capture quality modern travelers, especially digital nomads who often reside in Thailand, expected to increase both length of stay and average spending per trip.
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