Regulatory governance, digital payment systems and tourism service delivery: a comparative study of Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

Purpose This study aims to examine how different regulatory governance configurations are associated with the functionality of digital payment systems, providing valuable insights for tourism and hospitality service performance. It aims to fill the gap regarding the role of financial regulation in building digital service interactions within tourism contexts. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative comparative policy analysis was conducted across three Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. These cases represent innovation-facilitating, controlled and precautionary regulatory models. The analysis is grounded in the proposed Regulatory–Payment–Service Interaction Framework, focusing on three key dimensions, transaction flexibility, cross-border interoperability and user trust and compliance assurance. Findings The results suggest that different regulatory configurations are associated with variations in the functionality of digital payment systems. In particular, innovation-facilitating frameworks are associated with higher transaction flexibility and cross-border interoperability. Controlled models foster widespread adoption under structured conditions, while precautionary approaches lean toward stability but limit cross-border integration. These differences reflect service efficiency, accessibility and customer experience in tourism and hospitality contexts. Research limitations/implications The study is grounded in policy documents and secondary institutional sources, which does not directly capture stakeholder perceptions or transaction-level dynamics. The findings should be interpreted as institutional associations rather than direct causal verification. Practical implications It is suggested that clear regulatory frameworks, interoperable payment systems and sandbox-based experimentation are vital for improving tourism service delivery. In an emerging economy like Vietnam, policymakers and industry stakeholders can benefit from targeted pilot programs in key tourism hubs to enhance payment system integration and international visitor experience. Originality/value This study contributes to tourism and hospitality literature by conceptualizing digital payment systems as institutionally embedded service infrastructures and by developing a comparative regulatory typology that explains cross-country variation in digital payment performance.