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The short answer to this question is Yes. The Wise Debit Card can be used in Laos either to withdraw money from an ATM or to connect to apps like Loca for ride hailing, sending money to a local bank account and make local QR payments. The Wise Card can also be used for your Agoda or Trip.com Account to pay for accommodation bookings. But Wise has some limitations in Laos, which we will discuss in this article. As Wise became one of the most popular and best choices for travelers, we will also go into more details:
Nowadays many travelers, expats and digital nomads in Laos already know about the advantages of Wise and have a Wise Debit Card. In case you don’t have your Wise card yet, it is quite easy and straight forward to order a Wise Card online.
As a Laotian Citizen or Resident in Laos, it is currently not possible to get a Wise Debit Card. But Laotian citizen and Expats using their Lao address can still open a Wise Account for sending and receiving money in other currencies than LAK.
For Expats, Digital Nomads and Travelers from other countries and regions, such as EU, UK, US, etc. it is no problem to open an Account and also order a Debit Card from Wise. So for expats planning to move to Laos or already moved to Laos, it is advisable to open a Wise Account with their address in the country of citizenship if the plan to also get a Wise debit card. Otherwise a an address in Laos can still be used to open a Wise account. The normal visitor who is coming to Laos for a trip, should get a Wise card in his home country before starting to travel. Then the card can be used everywhere. This makes Wise a convenient option when traveling anywhere in Southeast Asia.
Good News: Opening a Wise Account is completely free! If you want to have a physical Wise card, there is a one-time order fee of 9 USD (or 7 GBP or 8 EUR). No hidden subscription costs or annual card fees. The card can be shipped to almost any country in the world. Also in case the card gets lost, shipment around the globe should not be a problem.
Wise also offers a Digital / Virtual Card, which can be connected to Apple Pay or Google Pay. The usage of a virtual wise card is free. You can create up to three virtual cards at a time, which is ideal for online purchases or keeping spending categories separate. Managing your cards is easy via the Wise app, where you can freeze, unfreeze or delete them anytime. This gives you extra flexibility and control, especially while traveling or managing multiple currencies.
Wise does not offer Credit Cards, but Debit Cards, which means it works like a prepaid-card. Only money that you have in your Wise Account, can be used.
Withdrawing money from an ATM in Laos using the Wise Debit Card is simple and works reliably all over the country. Most of the Lao banks like BCEL, JDB (Joint Development Bank), LDB (Lao Development Bank) or LVB (Lao-Viet-Bank) accept international cards, including Wise (Mastercard or Visa). ATMs usually allow a one-time maximum withdrawal of around 2.5 million LAK per transaction, and local ATM fees typically range from 20,000 to 40,000 LAK. Wise itself doesn’t charge a fee for up to two withdrawals or €200/month (whichever comes first), after which small fees apply (1,75% Fee + exchange fee of 0,69%). It’s best to withdraw larger amounts less frequently to reduce the impact of fixed local ATM fees. Always choose to be charged in the local currency (LAK) to avoid hidden currency conversion costs.
Pro-Tip: If you want to withdraw up to 400 USD/EUR/GPB per month for free, just get yourself a second card like Revolut. It is a similar service like Wise and they also give you good exchange rates in Laos. While Wise is slightly better when it comes to exchange rates, Revolut as a backup card can be smart. The Revolut basic plan is free. I use both, Wise and Revolut.
Important: The currency in Laos is the Lao Kip. You can currently not exchange any other currency to LAK within the Wise app because you can’t hold LAK in your Wise account, BUT (and this is crucial to know): Whenever you use your Wise card to withdraw cash at an ATM, Wise will use the mid-market exchange rate and automatically convert the currency you hold in your Wise account to LAK for your at the time when using the card at an ATM in Laos. While other traditional banks give you bad exchange rates (especially for currencies like LAK), Wise always gives you the realtime mid-market exchange rate of the LAK (or even better).
For expats, retirees or digital nomads with long-term visas in Laos, it is sometimes necessary to send money into their Lao bank account. Luckily, this can easily be done with Wise as well. Wise works fine for international money transfers, and the fees are quite low compared to traditional banks. Also people without a lao bank account can send money to friends, relatives or spouses in Laos with Wise international transfer.
Sending money to a Lao bank account using Wise is straightforward and cost-effective. If the recipient has a BCEL bank account in Laos and a USD balance on it, you can send money directly from Wise in USD or another supported currency. Since BCEL allows account holders to maintain balances in USD, you can transfer USD from your Wise account without needing a currency conversion—saving on exchange fees. Simply enter the recipient’s bank details, including the SWIFT/BIC code and account number, and Wise will handle the rest. Transfers usually arrive within 1–3 working days, depending on the method used, and are often cheaper and faster than traditional bank wires.
Open the Wise app and add the Lao BCEL bank account of the recipient. Make sure the recipient is able to receive USD on their end. Then simply enter all account details, bank details, choose USD as both the sending and receiving currency—and that’s it.
Card payments with the Wise Debit Card are sometimes accepted at major hotels, upscale restaurants and some tourist-focused businesses in Laos. However, credit and debit card payments are still limited overall, especially in smaller shops, local markets, and rural areas, where cash remains the primary method of payment. While contactless payments (tap-to-pay) are technically supported on some terminals, they are not widely available or reliable across the country. Wise can also be connected to Google Pay and Apple Pay, allowing for easy mobile payments where accepted.
Additionally, when booking accommodation in Laos through platforms like Agoda, Booking.com or Trip.com, the Wise card can be used without any issues to pay securely online. Although card payments can work in certain places, it’s essential to always carry enough cash—especially when traveling outside of cities like Vientiane or Luang Prabang.
It is very common in Laos to scan a local QR code to make a payment. Nowadays almost every hotel, small guesthouse, restaurant, coffeeshop and even market vendors have QR codes ready to receive money in the local currency LAK. Usually to scan these QR codes called “Lao QR“, it is necessary to have a lao bank account. But not anymore! Since recently there are two useful apps, where every traveler and tourist can connect their credit or debit card, such as Wise to be able to scan a local QR code. For the best exchange-rates, Wise can be connected to those two apps easily.
LocaPay is the payment feature within the Loca ride-hailing app, offering similar functionality to EzyKip. It allows users to scan Lao QR codes and pay directly using a linked Visa or Mastercard. Payments are processed in USD, leading to slightly higher fees—5,000 LAK plus 2.5% per transaction. While more costly than some alternatives, it’s a convenient way for travelers to pay like locals without needing cash.
Not only can you send, hold, receive and withdraw money with Wise at the lowest fees, but you also have many other benefits and features. With Wise you get bank account details to send and receive money in many currencies, for example EUR, USD, AUD, GPB, CAD and more. That means that you can use your Wise account just like a local bank account. You can check all supported currencies here.
Apart from that you can open balances in over 40+ currencies, exchange them, hold them and one some you can even earn interest. Wise is a great option for Digital Nomads and frequent travelers, who are looking for the cheapest option to send and withdraw money. I personally use Wise not only in Laos to withdraw money, but also in many other countries. On my recent trip to Vietnam, I exchanged EUR to VND (Vietnamese Dong), because the exchange rate was great. Then I held the VND in my Wise Account, until I used it in Vietnam. You can easily track currency rates and even set up auto-conversions once your desired exchange rate is reached.
For those expats, digital nomads or people who are lucky to have a bank account in Thailand, Wise can be used to send money to a Thai bank account. Thai baht is a supported currency and can be exchanged in the Wise app. That means you can hold THB and send it to a local Thai bank, which usually takes only a few minutes. Having THB can be useful in Laos as well. Especially when doing large transactions, such as buying a car, motorbike etc., the preferred currency is THB or USD – simply because of the inflation of the LAK.
I also have a Wise Business Account for my US LLC. With the business account I can easily get paid by clients in my preferred currency. Wise provides bank details for many currencies, such as EUR, which makes it convenient for customers to pay via IBAN as they are used to do. Open a Wise Business Account for your Company using this link: wise.com/business
The Wise card works perfectly in Laos and is one of the best options for travelers, expats and digital nomads. You can easily withdraw money from most ATMs like BCEL or JDB, pay for accommodation on sites like Agoda or Trip.com, and use it for secure online transactions. Wise offers real mid-market exchange rates, low transfer fees and no hidden costs. You can also send money directly to Lao bank accounts, including USD transfers to BCEL. With both physical and virtual cards as well as support for Apple Pay and Google Pay, Wise gives you full control over your travel finances—reliable, flexible, and much cheaper than traditional banks.
Yes, the Wise card works at most ATMs in Laos, especially those from major banks like BCEL, JDB, LDB or Indochina Bank. Make sure to choose to be charged in the local currency (LAK) to avoid extra fees.
Most ATMs in Laos allow withdrawals up to around 2.5 million LAK per transaction. Wise gives you two free ATM withdrawals per month (up to €200 or equivalent), after which small fees apply.
Yes, but card acceptance is limited. Larger hotels, supermarkets, and tourist-oriented places may accept Visa or Mastercard, but smaller shops and local markets are mostly cash-only or local QR codes. Always carry some cash just in case.
Yes, you can send money from Wise to a Lao bank account, such as BCEL. If the recipient has a USD account, you can even send USD directly without conversion, which helps avoid extra exchange fees.
Yes, Wise virtual cards can be connected to Apple Pay and Google Pay. While tap-to-pay is not widely available in Laos, it’s useful for online purchases and payments where mobile wallets are accepted.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission and you support our blog to write more helpful articles – at no extra cost to you.