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# Can I Use UPI in Vietnam, Thailand or the Philippines? (2026)
- URL: https://blog.fizen.io/upi-in-vietnam-thailand-philippines-2026/
- Published: 2026-10-26T03:30:52.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-26T03:30:52.000Z
- Description: You open PhonePe at a banh mi cart in Da Nang and the scan goes nowhere. Here is the real 2026 status of UPI in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, what has been signed, and what Indian visitors use instead.
- Author: Quinn Dao
- Tags: Guides, Travel & Nomad

**Quick answer:** No. As of 26 October 2026, Indian UPI apps cannot pay shop QR codes in Vietnam, Thailand or the Philippines. India's NPCI International signed an agreement with Vietnam's NAPAS in May 2026 on cross-border QR interoperability, and the Philippines agreed in September 2026 to bring UPI technology in, but neither has a public launch date. Indian visitors pay with forex cards, credit cards, cash, or, in Vietnam and the Philippines only, a visitor QR wallet such as Fizen QR Pay.

**Key takeaways**

- **Vietnam: signed, not live.** NIPL and NAPAS signed a cross-border QR memorandum on 5 to 7 May 2026\. No apps, merchants or start date have been announced.
- **Philippines: talks, not live.** On 12 September 2026 officials agreed to bring UPI technology to the Philippines, with government payments first and a UPI and QR Ph link still being studied.
- **Thailand: not on any 2026 list** of countries where UPI pays merchants. PromptPay codes need a Thai bank account.
- **What works today:** a forex card, a card set to pay in local currency, some cash, and in Vietnam and the Philippines, Fizen QR Pay for visitors funded with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain.

You are at a banh mi cart in Da Nang. The aunty points at a laminated QR code, you open PhonePe out of habit, and the scan goes nowhere. Every Indian traveller in Southeast Asia has a version of this moment, because the codes look exactly like the ones at home.

The headlines about UPI going global are real, but they are mostly about other countries. Here is what is actually live in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines in October 2026, and what to carry instead.

## Does UPI work in Vietnam in 2026?

Not at shops, not yet. During Vietnamese President To Lam's state visit to India from 5 to 7 May 2026, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and the National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) signed a memorandum to create institutional links on cross-border QR code interoperability. The Reserve Bank of India and the State Bank of Vietnam signed a separate memorandum on payment systems.

A memorandum is a starting gun, not a launch. The official list of outcomes names no apps, no merchant coverage and no date. Vietnamese shops run on VietQR, which is operated by NAPAS, and until that link goes live, GPay, PhonePe, Paytm and BHIM cannot pay a VietQR code.

It is still good news. Vietnam received more than 612,000 Indian visitors in the first eight months of 2026, so the demand is there. Check the NPCI International announcements before your trip, not a travel forum from last year.

## What about Thailand and the Philippines?

**The Philippines** is at an earlier stage. On 12 September 2026, President Marcos and his ministers met NIPL in New Delhi, and Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the two sides agreed to bring India's UPI technology to the Philippines. The first priority is government payments through LandBank. A link between UPI and QR Ph, the national QR standard, is being studied, with no timeline.

**Thailand** does not appear on the 2026 lists of countries where UPI pays merchants, and we found no launch notice from NPCI International or the Bank of Thailand as of 26 October 2026\. Thai PromptPay codes are tied to Thai bank accounts and phone numbers, so a visitor cannot simply scan them with a foreign app.

| Country     | UPI at shops today | What has been announced                           | What visitors use                    |
| ----------- | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| Vietnam     | No                 | NIPL and NAPAS QR memorandum, May 2026            | Card, forex card, cash, Fizen QR Pay |
| Philippines | No                 | Agreement to adopt UPI technology, September 2026 | Card, forex card, cash, Fizen QR Pay |
| Thailand    | No                 | No launch announced                               | Card, forex card, cash               |

## Where does UPI work abroad right now?

A Business Today list from July 2026 names Bhutan, Singapore, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the UAE, Qatar and Cambodia. In September 2026 NIPL said merchant payments were live in 11 countries. Acceptance is merchant by merchant even there, so treat UPI abroad as a bonus, not a plan.

## So how do Indian visitors pay in these three countries?

- **A forex card** loaded in dollars or baht. Loads count towards your Liberalised Remittance Scheme limit, and tax collected at source (TCS) of 20% applies only above ₹10 lakh in a financial year, across all LRS spending.
- **A credit or debit card**, for hotels, malls and Grab. Indian cards add a forex markup of about 2% to 3.5%, plus 18% GST on that markup. Always choose to pay in dong, baht or pesos: paying in rupees through the terminal's conversion can push the total cost past 10%.
- **Cash** for markets, tricycles and street food. Under RBI rules a bank sells you up to US$3,000 in foreign currency notes for a trip; the rest can go on a forex card.
- **A visitor QR wallet**, in Vietnam and the Philippines only, for the stalls and cafes that show a QR code and no card machine.

## Can a visitor pay VietQR or QR Ph codes without UPI?

Yes, and this is where Fizen fits. You are a foreigner in Vietnam and the Philippines, which is exactly who Fizen QR Pay is for: it pays VietQR bank codes, VNPay, MoMo and ZaloPay codes in Vietnam, and QR Ph in the Philippines. The merchant receives dong or pesos and never touches crypto.

The order matters. Create or import your Fizen wallet, which is non-custodial. Get USDT on Solana or BNB Chain into it; USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited, so swap and bridge it in the app first if needed. Deposit from the wallet into QR Pay, complete KYC (it applies per wallet and per device), then scan and confirm the amount shown in local currency. The [step-by-step guide](https://docs.fizen.io/help-center/fizen-app/faq/how-to-use-qr-pay?ref=blog.fizen.io) has the screens.

Limits are US$800 per payment and US$1,000 per week. In Vietnam, QR Pay pays only codes belonging to Vietnamese account holders. The Fizen wallet is self-custody; USDT you move into QR Pay is governed by the QR Pay Terms, so only move in what you plan to spend. QR Pay does not work in Thailand.

**Be honest with yourself about the tax.** India taxes gains on virtual digital assets at 30% with 1% TDS on transfers, and spending USDT can count as a transfer. If you do not already hold USDT, a forex card is the simpler tool for a one-week holiday. If you do, QR Pay turns it into street-food money without an exchange counter.

## Which setup should you pack?

For Thailand: a forex card, one credit card set to pay in baht, and some cash. For Vietnam and the Philippines: the same, plus QR Pay if you hold USDT, because half the places you will want to eat at take QR codes and nothing else. Whichever you choose, you need mobile data at the counter; the Fizen app also sells travel eSIMs for 150+ countries.

Fizen is building the stablecoin neobank for people on the move: a wallet you own, local QR payments, investing and travel data in one app. When UPI does go live in Vietnam, you will have one more option, not one fewer.

## Frequently asked questions

#### Can I use UPI in Vietnam?

Not at shops as of October 2026\. NIPL and NAPAS signed a cross-border QR memorandum in May 2026, but no launch date, apps or merchants have been announced.

#### Does UPI work in Thailand?

No. Thailand is not on the 2026 lists of countries where UPI pays merchants, and no launch has been announced.

#### Can I use GPay or PhonePe in the Philippines?

Not for QR Ph payments yet. The Philippines agreed in September 2026 to adopt UPI technology and is studying a link with QR Ph, with no timeline.

#### What is the best way for Indians to pay in Vietnam?

A mix: a forex card or credit card for hotels and Grab, some cash for markets, and in Vietnam and the Philippines, a visitor QR wallet such as Fizen QR Pay for QR-only stalls.

#### Can foreigners pay VietQR codes?

Yes, with a service built for visitors. Fizen QR Pay pays VietQR, VNPay, MoMo and ZaloPay codes for foreigners in Vietnam, funded with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain.

#### Is there TCS on a forex card for Thailand?

Forex card loads count under LRS. TCS of 20% applies only to the amount above ₹10 lakh in a financial year, across all LRS spending.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/04/ee/04eee3a6-7d95-474c-80a5-48f84338363b/content/images/2026/10/upi-in-vietnam-thailand-philippines-2026.png) 

#### Scan local QR codes as a visitor

Fizen QR Pay pays VietQR and QR Ph codes for travellers and foreigners in Vietnam and the Philippines, funded with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain. Travel eSIMs for 150+ countries sit in the same app.

[Get the Fizen app](https://link.fizen.io/s/B3Aenpj7fz?ref=blog.fizen.io) 

### Terms and conditions

- **Information only.** This article is information only, not an offer or sale, and not financial, legal, tax or investment advice. Payment rules and partnerships change; check official announcements before you travel.
- **For readers in the United States.** This is information only, not an offer or sale, and not advice. Fizen products and services are not offered to US Persons.
- **QR Pay availability.** QR Pay is for cross-border use by travellers and foreigners in Vietnam and the Philippines only, and is not available to residents of those countries in their own country. It does not work in Thailand. It is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain; USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. KYC, KYT, AML and sanctions checks apply. Use of QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms.
- **For readers resident in India.** India taxes income from transferring virtual digital assets, including USDT, at 30% plus surcharge and cess, with 1% TDS on transfers and no set-off of losses; the rules carried into the Income-tax Act, 2025 from 1 April 2026\. Spending or converting USDT abroad can count as a transfer. Follow Indian tax and foreign exchange rules, and ask a chartered accountant about your own case. Nothing here is tax advice.
- **Independent.** Fizen is not affiliated with NPCI, NIPL, NAPAS or any bank named here. Their plans are described from public announcements.

### Sources

- [Embassy of India Hanoi, List of Outcomes, State Visit of the President of Vietnam, 5 to 7 May 2026](https://www.indembassyhanoi.gov.in/page/list-of-outcomes-state-visit-of-president-of-the-socialist-republic-of-vietnam-to-india-may-05-07-2026/?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [GoAsia, Vietnam and India move toward cross-border QR payments, 8 May 2026](https://goasia.cc/en/news/vietnam-india-qr-payments-mou?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Daily Tribune, PHL taps India to upgrade digital payments, 14 September 2026](https://tribune.net.ph/2026/09/14/phl-taps-india-to-upgrade-digital-payments?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Business Today, countries where Indians can pay with UPI, 21 July 2026](https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/upi-goes-global-indians-can-now-pay-seamlessly-in-12-countries-see-the-full-list-here-544216-2026-07-21?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Khaleej Times, UPI merchant payments live in 11 countries, 21 September 2026](https://khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-among-countries-linked-to-indias-upi-and-rupay-network-as-digital-payments-expand-globally?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Viet Nam News, 612,000 Indian arrivals in eight months, 3 September 2026](https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1798856/viet-nam-welcomes-nearly-16-million-international-visitors-in-first-eight-months.html?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Outlook Money, international credit card charges for Indian users](https://www.outlookmoney.com/banking/international-credit-card-transactions-why-overseas-swipes-cost-more-than-expected?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Patron Accounting, TCS rates from 1 April 2026](https://www.patronaccounting.com/blog/tcs-rate-changes-april-2026-overseas-travel-lrs-education-liquor?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Fizen QR Pay Terms, effective 5 June 2026](https://docs.fizen.io/fizen-qr-pay?ref=blog.fizen.io)
- [Fizen Docs, How to use QR Pay](https://docs.fizen.io/help-center/fizen-app/faq/how-to-use-qr-pay?ref=blog.fizen.io)

UPI status, TCS rules and QR Pay facts checked on 26 October 2026.

### Related reading

- [How Indians pay in Vietnam](https://blog.fizen.io/how-indians-pay-vietnam-qr-2026/)
- [VietQR for foreigners](https://blog.fizen.io/vietqr-for-foreigners-2026/)
- [QR Ph for foreigners](https://blog.fizen.io/qr-ph-for-foreigners-philippines-2026/)
- [PromptPay for foreigners in Thailand](https://blog.fizen.io/promptpay-for-foreigners-thailand-2026/)