ChainCatcher news, according to Cryptonews, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira announced on Wednesday at a seminar of the Thai Marketing Association that Thailand will launch a new cryptocurrency payment project, starting from the popular tourist destination of Phuket. The project will allow foreign tourists to use digital assets for shopping in the tourist city.Pichai Chunhavajira emphasized that the pilot program will comply with the existing legal framework to ensure that no laws are violated. The pilot in Phuket will allow foreign tourists to register their Bitcoin through Thai exchanges, complete identity verification, and then use cryptocurrency to pay for goods and services.Previous news reported that a former Thai Prime Minister suggested trialing Bitcoin payments in Phuket.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, KuCoin has launched a peer-to-peer payment system called KuCoin Pay, allowing users to pay merchants directly from their exchange account balances. The tool supports payments in 54 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC).

ChainCatcher news, according to the Daily Economic News, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province of South Korea has announced its "Jeju Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Roadmap," aiming to transform the island into a cashless international city through digital innovation.The plan includes establishing a convenient digital payment system that can be compatible with payment methods from neighboring countries such as China and Japan. In addition, Jeju Island also plans to introduce a system that will convert virtual assets like Bitcoin into Jeju regional currency for local transactions.

ChainCatcher news, according to News.bitcoin, French luxury department store Printemps has announced that it will accept cryptocurrency payments, becoming the first major luxury retailer in Europe to support digital currency payments.The company has launched cryptocurrency payment services in its 20 stores across France through partnerships with French crypto payment company Lyzi and Binance Pay.Printemps stated that this move will benefit over 6.5 million cryptocurrency users in France, allowing them to make fast, secure, and simple payments using the latest Web3 solutions. The company emphasized that the introduction of cryptocurrency payments reflects its innovative commitment to reforming the consumer experience.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block Pro's latest research report, payment-related blockchain projects peaked in 2021, with a total of 38 projects launched. This field can be traced back to 2012 with projects like Ripple focusing on cross-border payment solutions.The Block Pro statistics show that there are currently 146 projects in this field, distributed across four categories: protocols, applications, infrastructure, and payment gateways. The report anticipates that with the advancement of crypto-friendly policies in the United States, the crypto payment sector is expected to usher in a new wave of development by 2025.

ChainCatcher news, the encrypted payment company Request Finance announced the acquisition of the regulated Lithuanian VASP company Pay.so and the launch of a crypto/fiat payment solution.This acquisition enables Request Finance to offer a fully compliant one-stop payment solution that connects cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies, thereby simplifying global transactions for businesses of all sizes.It is reported that Pay.so operates under one of the most powerful and reliable regulatory frameworks for companies providing digital asset services. Pay.so has grown tenfold in just 9 months, solidifying its position as a major partner for large companies adopting digital currencies. Pay.so is one of the companies with the widest currency coverage in the market, having provided various fiat payments in currencies such as USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CHF, SGD, NZD, THB, HKD, IDR, CAD, INR, AED, KRW, JPY, MYR, and PHP to Request Finance's clients for several months.Additionally, the Web3 asset data platform RootData shows that Request Finance is an integrated financial solution for Web3 enterprises, helping crypto project teams, DAOs, and their accountants streamline their corporate crypto payments and financial reporting.

ChainCatcher news, according to a trademark application submitted this week, the Trump Media & Technology Group has filed for a cryptocurrency payment service named TruthFi, describing it as a platform for crypto payments, financial custody services, and digital asset trading.The application does not detail how the project will operate, aiming to diversify its business beyond the social media platform Truth Social. Any large-scale crypto project will likely require the Trump Media & Technology Group to acquire another company, as it has fewer than 36 employees.

ChainCatcher news, according to market news, ZK International Group (ZKIN) is seeking to accept cryptocurrency payments, including Bitcoin, to enhance transactions with global suppliers, vendors, and customers.

ChainCatcher message, payment protocol AEON partners with FDUSD issuer First Digital Labs and Terminus to launch Web3 QR code payments, promoted during Devcon in Thailand. Users can scan the AEON QR code to use FDUSD for purchases at offline merchants, who can receive cryptocurrency without new devices, automatically converting it to local fiat currency.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the cryptocurrency payment gateway Alchemy Pay announced that the company has obtained four new Money Transmission Licenses (MTL) in Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wyoming, bringing the total number of Alchemy Pay's state licenses in the U.S. to 8.The latest licenses follow the approval of another license in Arkansas in September 2023, and in Iowa, New Hampshire, and New Mexico in November 2023.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, Detroit city officials announced on Thursday that the city will become the largest city in the United States to accept cryptocurrency payments. Residents will be able to use cryptocurrency to pay taxes and other city fees through a secure platform managed by PayPal.Finance Director Nikhil Patel stated that this option will be launched in mid-2025, and further improvements to city payment services will also be made. This is part of a larger strategy for the city of Detroit aimed at exploring innovative technologies that can enhance public services, strengthen citizen engagement, and promote economic growth.

ChainCatcher news, according to a report by Decrypt, based on the indictment filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), former professional skier Ryan James Wedding and 15 other defendants operated a drug trafficking organization that transported cocaine from Colombia through Mexico to the United States and Canada. The criminal gang committed multiple murders during their operations and attempted to evade police capture using cryptocurrency.The indictment states, "Defendant Bonilla will pay defendants Wedding and Clark for two kilograms of cocaine through Tether cryptocurrency payment services." They sent QR codes to the drug dealers to receive payment in the form of USDT. During the investigation, over $3.2 million in cryptocurrency, more than a ton of cocaine, three firearms, dozens of rounds of ammunition, and $255,400 were seized.Authorities say Wedding is now on the run. The FBI is now offering a reward of $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and extradition of Wedding. Wedding, 47, represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics and has recently been living in Mexico.

ChainCatcher news, according to official sources, the crypto payment infrastructure company MoonPay announced a partnership with Ripple to support users in purchasing, storing, and managing XRP using their MoonPay accounts.