Thailand vs Mexico · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | PromptPay | SPEI |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Mexico's Sistema de Pagos Electrónicos Interbancarios is one of the world's earliest 24/7 real-time payment systems, operated directly by the central bank (Banxico). SPEI processes both high-value and retail payments with no maximum transaction limit, settling in real time through Banxico's accounts. It supports CLABE (standardised 18-digit account numbers) and has been extended with CoDi, a QR-based overlay for merchant payments. Note: SPEI data includes both immediate and scheduled transfers on the same rail, as Banxico does not separately report real-time vs deferred transactions.