Cards
Useful for accommodation, online bookings and merchants with card terminals. Check foreign transaction charges, cash withdrawal fees and whether the terminal offers conversion into your home currency.
Money in everyday life
Payments guide · 29 September 2026
Know how you’ll pay
before you arrive.
A foreign card can cover the flight and hotel, yet local shops, rent and deposits may need a different route. Build a small set of payment options that works during your first weeks and after you open a local account.
Explore payment routes ↓The practical approach
Keep access to money through more than one system.
Payment acceptance changes by country, merchant and transaction. A card terminal may be unavailable where a local QR is common; a QR app may reject a personal code or require identity checks; a transfer can take longer than a small purchase.
Before departure, prepare an international card, some local cash for arrival and a second independent way to access funds. Once settled, compare a local bank account or eligible wallet for recurring bills and everyday QR payments. Test each route with a small amount before relying on it.
Your payment routes
Match the method to the job.
Cash
A practical backup for arrival, small traders or outages. Carry a modest amount, use reputable exchange and ATM options, and separate emergency cash from daily spending.
Local bank account
Often the most reliable long-term route for rent, bills and domestic transfers. Opening requirements, mobile number rules and payment networks vary by country and bank.
Mobile or QR wallet
An eligible wallet may bridge the period before local banking is ready. Confirm the exact merchant QR network, account verification, top-up route, limits and refund process.
International transfer
Suitable for planned larger movements of money. Compare the amount the recipient receives, transfer time, recipient details and source-of-funds documentation.
Country and service guides
Find the route that fits your destination.
Local payment networks have different rules. Start with the country guide, then check the service’s current operational status before funding it.
Thailand · PromptPay
DeepPocket
T2P advertises passport onboarding, international card top-ups and Thai PromptPay QR payments without a Thai bank account. Its published standard credit-card top-up fee is 4.5%; check the live quote.
Read the DeepPocket review ↗Cross-border directoryLocal QR payment apps
Compare 12 researched services that aim to pay Pix, VietQR, QR Ph and other existing local QR recipients, including paused routes and coverage limits.
Compare QR services ↗ThailandThai mobile wallets
Examine PromptPay, foreigner onboarding, TAGTHAi Easy Pay and the limits of other wallet options before a Thai bank account is ready.
Read the Thailand guide ↗Moving moneyBanking across borders
Plan account access, international transfers, exchange costs and the records you may need when moving funds to a new country.
Read the banking guide ↗Before your first payment
Verify the recipient
Read the displayed name and amount before approving a QR or transfer. A sticker placed over a genuine merchant code can redirect a payment.
Compare the whole price
Check card markups, top-up fees, network fees, exchange rates and the amount delivered. A “zero fee” claim can still leave a rate difference.
Know how refunds work
Ask whether a reversal returns to a card, wallet or stablecoin balance, and at what rate. Keep the receipt and transaction reference.
Keep a working backup
Store recovery methods and an independent payment option safely. A lost phone, failed identity check or temporary service pause should not leave you unable to pay.
How this guide is used
Check the country-specific detail.
This page is a starting point for planning. It does not imply that every method works in every country. The local QR directory links to each provider’s current documentation; the Thailand wallet guide links to provider terms and the Bank of Thailand’s payment information. Availability and charges can change, so confirm them in the live app or bank before moving significant funds.