Thailand vs Russia · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | PromptPay | SBP |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Payments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wallet Support | — | — |
| 24/7 Availability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cross-Border | ✓ | ◐ |
| ISO 20022 | ✓ | ✓ |
| Request to Pay | — | ✓ |
| Open API | ◐ | ◐ |
| Alias/Proxy | ✓ | ✓ |
Thailand's national e-payment system, a core part of the government's National e-Payment Master Plan. PromptPay links bank accounts to mobile numbers or national citizen IDs for instant P2P transfers, and includes a standardised QR code system for merchant payments. Operated by NITMX under Bank of Thailand oversight, it connects all major banks with zero fees for transfers under THB 5,000. PromptPay has cross-border QR linkages with Singapore's PayNow, Malaysia's DuitNow, and other ASEAN systems.
Russia's System of Fast Payments (Sistema Bystrykh Platezhey, SBP) is the national instant-payments scheme launched by the Bank of Russia and NSPK in January 2019. It enables 24/7 real-time interbank credit transfers addressed by mobile phone number, plus QR-code payments to merchants (C2B), payouts from businesses to individuals (B2C), and cross-border transfers to CIS and friendly countries. The Bank of Russia acts as operator and settlement centre; NSPK provides operational and clearing infrastructure. Systemically important banks are mandated to participate; consumer transfers up to RUB 100,000/month are fee-free. Data transparency has decreased somewhat since 2022; the CBR continues to publish quarterly aggregate SBP statistics.