Laos is a cash-and-QR country. Card terminals exist in hotels, larger restaurants, and malls in Vientiane, but the everyday economy — local restaurants, markets, tuk-tuks, small shops — runs on two things: Lao kip in cash, and LAO QR codes scanned with a phone. If you sort out both before you land, money stops being a daily problem.
The currency: Lao kip
Prices are in kip (LAK). The numbers are large — the biggest banknote is 100,000 kip — so it helps to think in units of 10,000 when you count. Hotels and tour operators often quote in US dollars or Thai baht as well, and both are accepted in many tourist-facing businesses in Vientiane and Vang Vieng, but you will usually get change in kip and the conversion is rarely in your favour. Pay in kip for anything small.
Paying by phone: LAO QR
Almost every shop, café, and market stall displays a LAO QR code (BCEL's OnePay sticker is the most common). Locals pay by scanning it with their bank app. Foreign visitors can join in, depending on where you are from. Korean travelers: GLN-connected apps scan LAO QR directly — Toss, Hana Pay, Hana OneQ, Hana Money, KB Star Banking, Purple GLN, and Naver Pay (Naver Pay Money and points). You are charged in won from your wallet balance. Each app sets its own fees and limits, so check before you travel. Thai travelers: the Thailand–Laos cross-border QR link opened in 2024. Participating Thai bank apps can scan LAO QR codes at merchants across Laos. Vietnamese travelers: a Laos–Vietnam QR link has launched. Check whether your bank's app supports paying LAO QR before you rely on it. Everyone else: LOCA Pay, inside the LOCA ride-hailing app, links a foreign credit card to LAO QR payments. It is the practical option for travelers from Europe, North America, Japan, and elsewhere. Whatever app you use, the merchant's QR occasionally fails or the shop prefers cash, so keep some kip in your pocket.
ATMs and cardless withdrawal
ATMs are easy to find in Vientiane, Vang Vieng, and Luang Prabang, and BCEL machines are the most widespread. Most accept foreign Visa and Mastercard, but each bank applies its own fee per withdrawal and its own per-transaction limit, on top of what your home bank charges. Withdrawing a larger amount less often keeps the total fees down. Confirm your card's overseas withdrawal fee with your bank before you leave. If you use one of the Korean GLN apps above (Toss, Hana Pay, Hana OneQ, Hana Money, KB Star Banking, Purple GLN), you can also withdraw kip at BCEL ATMs by scanning a QR code on the machine — no physical card involved. Check the app for the fee and daily limit. Stick to ATMs attached to bank branches or inside malls and hotel lobbies, especially at night, and shield your PIN.
Cards
Hotels, larger restaurants, cafés in tourist areas, and malls take Visa and Mastercard. A surcharge for card payment is common, so ask first. Small businesses, markets, and transport are cash or QR only. Let your bank know you are traveling so the card is not blocked on the first foreign transaction.
US dollar bills
If you plan to pay or exchange in dollars, bring newer, crisp, unmarked bills. Businesses and money changers routinely refuse notes that are torn, heavily creased, or have any writing or stamps on them, even when they would be accepted at home. Check each bill when you get them and keep them flat.
Where to exchange
Exchange at banks or licensed money changers, never with someone who approaches you on the street. Count the kip before you walk away — the stacks are thick and mistakes happen. Knowing the day's official rate lets you judge a changer's quote at a glance; TheLaoHub's exchange page shows the official kip rate for USD and THB alongside the buy and sell rates posted by Vientiane changers.
Small habits that help
Keep a few small notes separate for toilets, tuk-tuks, and market snacks. Tipping is not customary but rounding up is appreciated. Do not carry all your cash in one place, and use the hotel safe for the bulk of it.