PromptPay is a Thailand account-to-account transfer service. It lets a sender use the recipient's mobile number or national ID number instead of a bank account number. The Bank of Thailand (BOT), the central bank, says the service has run since 2016. At the end of December 2025, more than 82 million numbers were registered, according to National ITMX (NITMX).
Anyone with a bank account and a bank mobile app can link PromptPay through the app, without visiting a branch. Under the BOT's standard fee schedule, transfers of up to 5,000 baht per transaction carry no fee.
How PromptPay works
PromptPay is payment infrastructure that adds options for senders. Besides a bank account number, they can use the recipient's national ID number, mobile number or another registered number. Transfers are made through digital channels, and fees are lower than for past transactions.
The recipient must first link their own bank account to an ID number or a mobile number. After that, the sender enters that number instead of an account number. Thai government agencies also use the system to pay benefits directly to recipients. The service is popular with individuals, businesses and agencies, and transaction volumes keep rising.
How to register and what to know
You need an active bank account first. You then choose whether people can pay into it using an ID number or a mobile number. You can link an existing account through any of these channels, at any time:
- Mobile banking app
- Internet banking
- ATM
- A bank branch
The app is the easiest route because you need no trip to the bank. If you do not use the app, an ATM or a branch works.
If you have several accounts, you do not have to register all of them. You can pick one account to receive money. You can also link your ID number to one account and your mobile number to a second. The same number cannot be linked to more than one account.
Banks set their own maximum transfer limits, so check the limit with your bank if you need to send large amounts.
The source material does not say whether foreign residents can register with a passport or a foreign ID. Ask your bank before you try to register.
PromptPay fees under the BOT schedule
The BOT's standard schedule sets the following maximum fees per transaction:
- Up to 5,000 baht: no fee
- More than 5,000 to 30,000 baht: up to 2 baht
- More than 30,000 to 100,000 baht: up to 5 baht
- More than 100,000 baht, up to the bank's own limit: up to 10 baht
For example, a 3,000 baht transfer carries no fee. A 20,000 baht transfer costs up to 2 baht, and a 50,000 baht transfer costs up to 5 baht. These figures are ceilings, not set charges.
A note under the schedule says that since 2018 most banks have waived fees for transactions made through digital channels such as mobile apps. Transfers made in an app are therefore often free even above 5,000 baht. The schedule shows the most a bank may charge, while a waiver means the bank chooses not to charge. Because the word is "most" banks, some may differ, so check your own bank's announcement.
Everyday services built on PromptPay
The BOT lists several services built on the PromptPay system. Tax refunds are one: individuals and businesses get their money back faster than before. Another is cross-bank bill payment through digital channels, with no need to go to a payment counter or a branch.
The e-Donation system uses PromptPay to record donations, so donors can claim a tax deduction without keeping their own paperwork. Thai QR Payment lets you scan a code and pay from a phone app, which suits both buyers and sellers. For businesses, a corporate PromptPay registration lets a company receive money from customers or pay suppliers.
PromptPay usage figures from NITMX
NITMX figures for the end of December 2025 show 2.38 billion PromptPay transactions with a combined value of 4.70 trillion baht. More than 82 million numbers were registered. The figures were reported by Mitihoon and Thairath, which gave matching numbers.
By type, about 81.8 million registered numbers belong to individuals and about 0.39 million to companies and other organisations.
The 82 million figure counts registered numbers, not users. One person can register more than one number, for example an ID number and a mobile number linked to different accounts. It should not be read as 82 million users.
These figures are for the end of December 2025. Newer figures appear in statistical reports from NITMX and the BOT.
Source: Bank of Thailand (PromptPay service page). Usage figures are cited from Mitihoon, which attributes them to National ITMX, and from Thairath, which reported the same figures.
This article is adapted from ViewNews' Thai-language report.
