Thailand has moved quickly toward real-time, account-to-account payments. For many consumers and businesses, PromptPay now sits at the centre of everyday transactions, from retail purchases in Bangkok to invoice payments between companies. For merchants with customers in Thailand, understanding how this payment service works shapes how people expect to pay, how funds move through the banking system, and how quickly a payment reaches your account.
PromptPay is Thailand’s national real-time payment system. It allows fast bank transfers between accounts using simple identifiers rather than traditional bank details.
At its core, PromptPay links a bank account to an easy-to-remember proxy. When a payment is made, the payer does not need the recipient’s bank name, branch, or account number. The system resolves the proxy behind the scenes and completes the transfer in seconds.
The service is supported by major Thai banks and operates continuously, including outside standard banking hours. Once a payment is confirmed, the fund is available to the recipient almost instantly.
PromptPay supports several identifier types:
This flexibility allows both consumers and businesses to register for PromptPay using an identifier that fits their situation. For individuals, registration often uses a phone number. For companies, registration typically links a tax ID to a business bank account.
Thai customers can use PromptPay through multiple channels:
For merchants, QR-based payment flows are the most visible expression of PromptPay at the point of sale.
PromptPay is one of the most widely used digital payment services in Thailand. Surveys of Thai e-payment users have consistently placed it among the leading payment options, reflecting strong trust in bank-backed transfers.
Transaction volume has grown at a national scale. In 2024, PromptPay transactions reached approximately 24.3 billion, a sharp increase year on year. Around 33.6 million people in Thailand were digital payment users during the same period, highlighting how deeply digital bank payments have entered daily life.
Cross-border use is also expanding. PromptPay QR payments connected to overseas schemes recorded strong growth in early 2025, with transaction value increasing by 119% compared to the previous year. This points to a broader role for PromptPay beyond domestic transfers.
In mobile payments specifically, PromptPay held an estimated 41.6% market share in 2024, leading other mobile payment instruments. For merchants evaluating Thailand, these figures underline how central PromptPay has become to the local payment mix.
Understanding real customer behaviour matters more than understanding system design. In practice, Thai customers use PromptPay in two main ways.
Scan-to-pay using a merchant-presented QR: This is the most familiar flow in stores, restaurants, and online invoices. The merchant displays a PromptPay QR code on a screen, printed receipt, or digital invoice. The customer scans the code in their bank app, reviews the payment details, and confirms. Payment confirmation appears within seconds.
ID-based transfers: For invoices, peer-to-peer payments, or informal business transactions, customers may pay by entering a phone number, citizen ID, or business tax ID. This flow resembles a direct bank transfer but uses the PromptPay mapping instead of full bank details.
PromptPay QR codes fall into two categories, each with different implications for merchants.
A static QR code stays the same for every payment. The customer scans the code and manually enters the amount. This approach is simple and low effort to set up. It is common among small merchants and service providers. The trade-off is higher reconciliation effort and a greater risk of errors.
On the other hand, a dynamic QR code is generated for a specific order. It includes the amount and reference information. This reduces manual input, improves reconciliation, and supports automated reporting. Dynamic QR codes are better suited to e-commerce, invoicing, and higher transaction volumes.
PromptPay offers several practical advantages for merchants operating in Thailand or selling to Thai customers.
For many Thai customers, paying through their bank app feels routine and trusted. Merchants that align with this preference often see smoother checkout behaviour.
Most merchants accept PromptPay through a payment service provider rather than connecting directly to banks.
Payment service providers make PromptPay accessible to merchants without requiring direct integration with multiple Thai banks. A PSP connects your checkout to the PromptPay network, manages bank connectivity, and delivers near real-time payment confirmation so you can act on a completed payment with confidence.
PSPs also handle much of the operational groundwork, including onboarding checks, transaction monitoring, and alignment with local banking rules. For cross-border merchants, this often extends to settlement handling, consolidated reporting, and support for common PromptPay flows such as QR-based checkout or pay-by-link, reducing setup effort and ongoing complexity.
While details vary by provider, onboarding usually involves business verification and ownership checks, setting up a bank account for settlement, and choosing how PromptPay will appear in your checkout. This may include QR-based payment flows, a hosted checkout page, or other supported payment formats, depending on how you plan to accept PromptPay and how much control you want over the payment experience.
Merchants generally choose from:
Before onboarding, merchants should expect to provide:
PromptPay acceptance looks different for local Thai entities and international sellers.
International merchants should assess whether PromptPay fits their operational model before adding it alongside other payment methods.
PromptPay has become a core part of Thailand’s payment infrastructure. It reflects how customers expect to move money between banks quickly, using simple identifiers and familiar mobile apps. For merchants, especially those serving customers in Bangkok and across Thailand, PromptPay offers a direct, real-time payment option that aligns with local behaviour.
The decision to accept PromptPay should sit within a broader payment strategy. When used in the right contexts, it can support smoother checkout, faster fund availability, and stronger alignment with how Thai customers prefer to pay.