Payment Apps in Vietnam for Tourists: QR, Cards & Cash (2026)

Vietnam runs on QR codes. From a coffee cart in Hanoi to a silk stall in Hoi An, the checkout is usually a printed VietQR code on the counter. For foreign visitors the question is which app on your phone can read that code. In 2026 the answer depends on where you are from: travellers from several Asian countries can scan with their home banking app, while visitors from Australia, the US, Europe and Japan need to set up a third-party wallet before they land.

The key payment facts are that VietQR is accepted at most shops, cafés and market stalls in Vietnam; Visa and Mastercard work well at hotels, supermarkets and larger restaurants; and cash is still needed in rural areas and at small street vendors. If your country has a cross-border QR link with Vietnam, your home app may work directly. If not, a wallet such as Moreta Pay or LocalPay lets you scan VietQR codes without opening a Vietnamese bank account.

At a glance: payment options for foreign visitors

Fees and limits are as published in October 2026. Always check the app or your bank before you travel, since rates and availability change.

How payments work in Vietnam

In Vietnam the move from cash to QR happened fast. The VietQR standard, run by NAPAS, is now displayed at counters everywhere alongside stickers for MoMo and ZaloPay, the two dominant local wallets. For a visitor this means two things: you can pay digitally at far more places than a few years ago, and you still need a small amount of Vietnamese dong for the stalls that have not switched over.

Credit and debit cards are accepted at hotels, chain supermarkets, upscale restaurants and major tourist attractions. Small cafés, family-run restaurants, night markets and countryside shops often do not have a card terminal. A useful rule is to carry a card for hotels and big-ticket purchases, an app for daily QR payments, and cash for everything else.

Option 1: Use your home app (China, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia)

If you are from one of the countries below, check your banking or wallet app before you leave home. Several cross-border QR links went live in 2026, and more are planned.

China: Alipay and WeChat Pay

On 3 April 2026 NAPAS, Vietcombank and Ant International launched a cross-border QR service that lets Alipay users scan VietQR codes in Vietnam. A separate partnership between NAPAS, BIDV and Weixin Pay brought WeChat Pay support from 6 August 2026. Chinese visitors can now pay at participating shops, restaurants and tourist sites by scanning the same QR codes locals use. Check inside your app to confirm that Vietnam appears in the supported-destinations list.

South Korea: GLN network apps

From 23 April 2026, Korean banking and e-wallet apps on the GLN International network can scan VietQR codes at merchants across Vietnam. The service was launched by NAPAS, GLN International, BIDV and Hana Bank. Transactions are processed in real time through the settlement infrastructure of Hana Bank and BIDV. If you use a major Korean bank app or wallet, look for the VietQR or overseas-payment option.

Singapore, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia

On 2 July 2026 NAPAS, Liquid Group and VietinBank launched a cross-border QR service connecting Vietnam and Singapore. Users of payment apps on Liquid Group's RoamQR network can scan VietQRGlobal codes at acceptance points across Vietnam. Tourists from Thailand, Laos and Cambodia also have live QR payment links with Vietnam. In the first eight months of 2026, transactions by Thai, Laotian and Cambodian visitors surged nearly eightfold in volume compared with the previous year, according to NAPAS data reported by Vietnam News.

Japan, Australia, the US and Europe

At the time of writing, Japan, Australia, the United States and European countries do not yet have a live cross-border QR link with Vietnam. Japan is in the planning stage. If you are from one of these countries, skip to Option 2.

Option 2: Set up a third-party wallet (for visitors from Australia, the US, Europe and Japan)

When your home banking app does not read Vietnamese QR codes, a wallet app is the next best thing. You fund it from your home bank account or card, then scan VietQR codes just like a local.

Moreta Pay

Moreta Pay is a wallet designed for travellers and does not require a Vietnamese bank account. You download the app, verify your identity in the app, then add money.

Top-up options include:

• Bank transfer: SEPA (euro), Faster Payments (GBP), PayID (AUD) and others. PayID costs 1.5% plus 1 USD. SEPA and Faster Payments cost 1.50 USD. Transfers over certain thresholds are free.
• Card: Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay. The published fee is 2.5% (minimum 1.50 USD) for instant card top-ups.
• Crypto: USDC and USDT on Solana. Check in-app for current fees.

For payments in Vietnam, Moreta charges a flat 1.5% per transaction at the live exchange rate shown in the app. The maximum payment is 50 million VND per transaction and the weekly limit is 160 million VND. The app scans VietQR, MoMo and ZaloPay codes, which covers most merchants.

As with any wallet, test it with a small top-up and a small payment before you travel, and check the exact fee and rate inside the app on the day.

LocalPay

LocalPay (localpay.asia) is a non-custodial wallet built on Solana. It supports top-ups by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and stablecoins (USDC and USDT). Card top-ups are not guaranteed from every country; some users report that they had to fund the wallet with crypto instead. If you are comfortable with stablecoins, LocalPay is a viable option. If you prefer traditional banking, test the card top-up early.

Do not confuse LocalPay with localpay.com, which is a different app based in the United States.

Wise

Wise is strongest for sending money to a Vietnamese bank account when you know the recipient's full name and account number. The exchange rate is transparent and the transfer fee is low.

The Wise app can also scan Alipay+ QR codes, which are common in tourist hubs in Vietnam. This is a useful option for daily small purchases where you see the Alipay+ symbol. The Wise card works at ATMs and some shops, but older POS terminals in Vietnam sometimes decline it. Wise does not scan standard VietQR codes directly.

Revolut

Some travellers carry a Revolut card for ATM withdrawals and card payments. It is useful as a backup card.

Cash and ATMs: the essential backup

Even with the best app, you need Vietnamese dong in your pocket. Small notes are especially useful: 20,000, 50,000 and 100,000 VND cover coffee, snacks, tips and motorbike parking.

ATMs are common in cities and most accept foreign cards. They usually charge a fee per withdrawal, shown on screen before you confirm, on top of whatever your home bank charges. Some ATMs also apply their own exchange rate. To avoid surprises, withdraw a sensible amount in one go rather than making frequent small withdrawals, and always let your home bank know you are travelling.

Keep one card in your wallet and a second card locked in your hotel safe. If your primary card is lost, blocked or swallowed by a machine, you have a spare.

Practical checklist before you travel

• Check whether your home banking app lists Vietnam as a supported QR destination.
• If you need a wallet, download Moreta Pay or LocalPay, complete identity verification and fund it with a small test amount at least a few days before departure.
• Make one test payment (even a coffee) so you know the flow works.
• Notify your home bank of your travel dates so they do not block your card.
• Withdraw or exchange some Vietnamese dong before you leave the airport.
• Keep a second card and a small cash reserve separate from your daily wallet.
• Do not rely on a single app or card. Networks fail, phones run out of battery and apps update.

What this means on a private tour

If you book a private tailor-made tour with Vibe Vietnam Tour, most of your major costs are prepaid: private car transfers, hotels, guides, entrance tickets and boat rides. That means you do not need to carry large amounts of cash or worry about splitting bills. The money you need day-to-day is pocket change: coffee, street snacks, souvenirs and the occasional tip. Our Vietnam travel budget for Australians shows typical daily amounts. A single wallet app plus a modest cash reserve is usually enough.

When you are ready to plan a trip where the logistics are handled and you only need to think about spending money, send us your travel dates and interests and we will put together an itinerary.

Related guides

• Welcome to Vietnam: First-Time Visitor Essentials
• Vietnam Travel Cost from Australia: A Practical Budget Guide
• How Much Does a Private Tour in Vietnam Cost?
• Private vs Group Tours in Vietnam: Which Suits You?