Peanut Is Coming to Malaysia
Pay via DuitNow QR at merchants across Malaysia — no MyKad needed. Sign up to get notified when Peanut launches.
Malaysia has built one of Southeast Asia's most impressive digital payment ecosystems. DuitNow — the national real-time payment platform — unifies all major banks and e-wallets (Touch 'n Go, Boost, GrabPay, MAE) under a single interoperable QR standard. One QR code works with any participating app. But if you are a tourist, digital nomad, or cross-border traveler without a MyKad (Malaysian national ID), accessing this system is a challenge. You need a Malaysian bank account, which typically requires a work or residency visa.
Peanut will remove that barrier. When we launch in Malaysia, you will be able to pay via DuitNow QR at merchants across the country — without a MyKad, without a Malaysian bank account, and without a local phone plan. Just verify with your passport. Your digital dollars will convert to ringgit at the market rate, and you will tap into the same unified payment network that locals use every day — from hawker stalls in Penang to shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur.
How It Will Work
- 1
Deposit from anywhere
Send digital dollars from any exchange or wallet via Solana, Arbitrum, Base, Tron, or Ethereum. Gas fees covered. Or deposit from your bank via SEPA (Europe), ACH (US), or wire transfer. All deposits are free.
- 2
Your balance stays in dollars
Your balance will be held in digital dollars until you spend. Convert to ringgit only when you are ready to pay.
- 3
Pay via DuitNow QR
Scan a DuitNow QR code at any participating merchant. Your dollars will convert to MYR at the market rate. No fees from Peanut.
- 4
Instant settlement
The merchant will receive ringgit instantly. They will see a normal DuitNow payment — Peanut will be invisible on their end.
What Payment Methods Are Coming
DuitNow
DuitNow is Malaysia's national real-time payment platform, operated by Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet). It provides a unified QR standard that connects all major banks and e-wallets — meaning one QR code at the merchant works whether the customer uses Touch 'n Go eWallet, GrabPay, Boost, MAE, or any participating bank app.
DuitNow QR is accepted at supermarkets, convenience stores, hawker stalls and food courts, restaurants, cafes, retail shops, malls, and petrol stations across Malaysia. Coverage is strongest in urban areas like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, and Kota Kinabalu, though merchants in smaller cities and tourist areas are rapidly adopting the system.
Beyond Malaysia, DuitNow has established cross-border QR interoperability with Singapore (PayNow), Thailand (PromptPay), and Indonesia (QRIS). This means the same infrastructure connects across Southeast Asia's major economies.
How it will work with Peanut: Open the Peanut app, tap "Pay," and scan the merchant's DuitNow QR code. Review the amount in MYR and the exchange rate. Confirm — payment settles instantly. The merchant sees a normal DuitNow transaction.
No MyKad needed. DuitNow normally requires a Malaysian bank account, which in turn requires a MyKad (for citizens and permanent residents) or a work/residency visa (for foreigners). Peanut will accept passport verification from any country — no MyKad, no Malaysian bank account, no visa requirement.
Full guide: Pay with DuitNow in Malaysia
Exchange Rate: What to Expect
When Peanut launches in Malaysia, your digital dollars will convert directly to ringgit at the market rate. This avoids the markups that credit cards and traditional transfer services add.
Card payments in Malaysia work at most larger merchants, but they come with foreign transaction fees of 2-4% and exchange rate markups that you do not see until your statement arrives. ATM withdrawals have similar hidden costs. Peanut will offer a more transparent path: the rate you see is the rate you pay.
Rate lock: The rate will lock at the moment of payment. No slippage, no post-transaction surprises.
No fees. Peanut will charge nothing on deposits, DuitNow payments, or withdrawals. Gas fees on network transactions are covered by Peanut.
Compare rates:
Who Will Use Peanut in Malaysia
Cross-Border Travelers (Singapore-Malaysia)
The Singapore-Malaysia corridor is one of the busiest in Southeast Asia, with daily commuters, weekend travelers, and business trips crossing the border constantly. Moving money between the two countries through traditional banks means extra charges on both sides. Credit cards add foreign transaction markups. Even with DuitNow-PayNow cross-border QR links, you still need accounts in both systems.
Peanut will let you hold one balance in digital dollars and spend in both countries as their integrations go live. Deposit once, pay in Malaysia via DuitNow QR — same app, same process.
Tourists and Digital Nomads
Malaysia's combination of low cost of living, strong internet infrastructure, world-class food, and the DE Rantau digital nomad visa makes it increasingly popular for remote workers. Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Langkawi are top destinations. But without a Malaysian bank account, you are stuck using credit cards (with 2-4% foreign transaction fees) or carrying ringgit in cash.
Peanut will give you DuitNow QR access from the day you arrive. Pay at hawker stalls in George Town, cafes in KL, and shops in Langkawi — the same way Malaysian residents do, but without the paperwork of opening a local bank account.
Info
Get Notified
Peanut is not yet live for spending in Malaysia, but you can sign up now to be notified when DuitNow integration launches. When live, you will pay at merchants across Malaysia via the country's unified QR system — without a MyKad, without a local bank account.
Today, you can already use Peanut to deposit and withdraw digital dollars in Malaysia via supported networks like Solana and Arbitrum. DuitNow QR spending is coming next.
Verification: You will verify with a passport or national ID card from any country. No MyKad required. Under 2 minutes for most users. Powered by Persona (SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, ISO 27001). Peanut never sees or stores your identity documents.
