Thailand Allows Tourists to Convert Crypto to Baht

Thailand Allows Tourists to Convert Crypto to Baht

Thailand has initiated an 18-month pilot program allowing foreign tourists to convert cryptocurrency into Thai baht, aiming to stimulate tourism through non-cash transactions.

This initiative, facilitating crypto-to-fiat conversion for tourists, signifies a bold move in digital finance with potential economic benefits, including increased tourist expenditure and carefully monitored capital flows.

Thailand has launched an 18-month program allowing tourists to convert cryptocurrency into Thai baht. This initiative, named “TouristDigiPay,” is designed to encourage tourist spending by offering a regulated crypto-to-fiat conversion service.

The program involves key government bodies such as the Ministry of Finance, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Thailand, setting risk management measures and conversion limits to maintain financial integrity. Merchants will only receive baht, not crypto.

“This project will support tourism,” and may encourage higher tourist spending.” — Pichai Chunhavajira, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance, Thailand

The immediate economic effect includes an anticipated 10% rise in tourist spending, potentially injecting 175 billion baht into the economy. The program enhances Thailand’s tourism appeal by integrating digital finance methods. Financially, the initiative enforces capped conversions and involves licensed digital asset operators, aiming to minimize money laundering risks. This positions Thailand as a pioneer in global tourism-crypto integration.

Participants must use Thai-based exchanges, with compliance being rigorously checked. No similar program at this scale has been globally acknowledged by national authorities, making it a unique approach.

Potential impacts include enhancing Thailand’s image as a digital economy leader and fostering regulatory frameworks that could influence other nations. The focus remains on BTC, ETH, and platform-supported assets.

For more details on how the integration of digital asset trading systems supports this project, you can learn how the TouristDigiPay project builds upon the existing ecosystem .