Thailand vs India · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | PromptPay | UPI |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Unified Payments Interface is a real-time interbank payment system built on top of IMPS infrastructure, enabling instant mobile payments via QR code, phone number, Aadhaar, or virtual payment address (VPA). With 300+ participating banks and 50+ third-party apps (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm), UPI processes 14B+ transactions per month and has become India's dominant payment method for both P2P and merchant payments. Now expanding internationally with cross-border linkages to Singapore's PayNow and other ASEAN systems.