StraitsX, the Singapore-based stablecoin payment firm, will be expanding the StraitsX Payment Network to support real-time, foreign exchange (FX)-transparent cross-border settlement across Asia, beginning with enhanced connectivity between Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan.

As part of this expansion, StraitsX will be partnering with KBank (KASIKORNBANK) in Thailand, and, in parallel, working on integrating into a regional settlement framework that connects consumer and institutional payment platforms in Taiwan and Japan, StraitsX said in a statement on Tuesday.

These two new strategic developments will introduce stablecoin-native settlement into existing payment systems, enabling instant cross-border payments with transparent FX conversion and regulatory alignment for these participating markets.

The expanded network, slated for go-live in the second quarter of 2026, aims to establish a unified payment corridor linking Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, allowing users to transact across borders with real-time settlement and clear price transparency.

In Thailand, StraitsX, KBank, and Orbix Technology will be advancing a roadmap to enable real-time QR interoperability between Thailand’s national QR Payment system and Singapore’s SGQR framework.

The collaboration includes exploring the use of XSGD as the settlement asset for cross-border transactions which will allow consumers to pay through familiar local payment interfaces while merchants receive settlement in their domestic currency.

This demonstrates how stablecoin settlement can unify domestic payment ecosystems across borders, enhancing efficiency and transparency while keeping the end-user experience unchanged.

Through the first phase of this integration, Thai travelers visiting Singapore will be able to pay at GrabPay and select PayNow-enabled merchants using Thailand’s first e-money on blockchain (Q-money) via the Q Wallet by KBank, with merchants receiving instant settlement in SGD.

Subsequently, in the second phase, Singapore travelers in Thailand will be able to use their home wallets to pay merchants, with the THB settlement completed seamlessly.

This establishes a clear model for cross-border settlement between national payment systems, where stablecoins support speed, transparency and regulatory alignment across markets.

“The Thailand-Singapore corridor offers an opportunity to explore how stablecoins can strengthen existing payment ecosystems,

“By embedding XSGD into established consumer rails like GrabPay and Q Wallet by KBank, we’re showing how trusted digital assets can deliver real-time settlement, transparent FX conversion, and interoperability at scale. This sets the foundation for a future where stablecoins become the invisible infrastructure that powers everyday payments,” said Tianwei Liu, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of StraitsX.

Building on the momentum between Singapore and Thailand, StraitsX will also concurrently extend the StraitsX Payment Network through a regional settlement framework that connects regulated consumer and institutional payment platforms across multiple Asian markets.

This will expand the network’s reach beyond Southeast Asia and strengthen interoperability between payment ecosystems in Northeast and Southeast Asia.

This integration will enable users in Japan and Taiwan to make payments across participating merchant networks in Southeast Asia, with all cross-border transactions settled in XSGD behind the scenes.

Settlement occurs in real time with transparent FX conversion, maintaining compliance with local regulatory requirements while preserving familiar payment experiences for users and merchants.

According to the statement, the partnership with KBank in Thailand, as well as the expanded interoperability across Japan and Taiwan reflects the continued growth of the StraitsX Payment Network as a regional settlement layer for stablecoin-native payments.

These developments follow the introduction of Singapore’s first stablecoin “scan-to-pay” experience in September, and together reinforce a network where stablecoins function as compliant, high-efficiency rails for cross-border commerce and everyday financial activity across Asia.

“Asia is setting the pace for how stablecoins will power the next phase of global payments,

“By embedding stablecoin settlement into the region’s most trusted consumer and institutional payment rails, we’re creating the infrastructure for programmable, borderless finance that can operate safely, transparently, and at scale,” added Liu.

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