Indonesia is poised for a major leap in its digital payment ambitions as Bank Indonesia (BI) plans to expand the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) into China and South Korea by 2026.
This development marks a significant step in the country’s strategy to extend its national payment system beyond domestic borders, positioning QRIS as a regional and even global player in digital transactions.
The Vision Behind the Expansion
Bank Indonesia’s drive to internationalize QRIS reflects its broader goal of strengthening Indonesia’s role in regional payments infrastructure.
Launched in 2019, QRIS has grown rapidly within the country, serving tens of millions of users and enabling millions of merchants to accept seamless, standardized QR payments.
With success already achieved in Southeast Asia—namely in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand—BI is now venturing into larger and more complex economies.
The decision to prioritize China and South Korea stems from both economic and strategic reasoning. These are major tourism and trade partners for Indonesia.
By enabling QRIS payments in those countries, BI supports Indonesian tourists abroad and, conversely, opens access for foreign visitors spending in Indonesia.
In doing so, BI aims to deepen cross-border financial connectivity while capturing more of the digital payments value chain across Asia.
How QRIS Will Work in China
BI has entered a sandbox or pilot-testing phase in collaboration with UnionPay International, the Indonesian Payments Systems Association (ASPI), and several domestic switching service providers, including Rintis Sejahtera, Alto Network, Artajasa, and Jalin Payment Nusantara.
During this sandbox phase, both inbound and outbound transactions are being trialed—meaning not only Indonesians in China can pay with QRIS, but Chinese tourists in Indonesia may also use their local QR systems interlinked with QRIS.
This dual-way functionality sets the China plan apart from some earlier QRIS cross-border rollouts, where QRIS was only used by Indonesians abroad. To make this integration possible, BI and its partners have had to navigate both technical and regulatory challenges.
They needed to align business arrangements, design a mutually acceptable operational system, and ensure legal frameworks match-up between Indonesia’s ASPI and Chinese payment authorities.
QRIS in South Korea
On the South Korean front, the process is slightly more nascent but progressing steadily. As reported by CNA.id, according to BI, sandbox testing between QRIS stakeholders in Indonesia and South Korea began in late 2025.
The central bank aims for full deployment by 2026, contingent on final agreements between ASPI and the Korean Financial Telecommunication and Clearings Institute.
These arrangements involve aligning not only technical infrastructures but also regulatory oversight, because the payment authority structures in each country differ.
The Korean integration is part of a broader BI strategy to link QRIS with more global systems. Beyond China and South Korea, BI has expressed interest in partnerships with India and Saudi Arabia, although regulatory and industry-level complexities remain.
Implications and Benefits for Indonesia
If successful, launching QRIS in China and South Korea could have several meaningful benefits for Indonesia.
For one, it would expand the utility of QRIS for Indonesian citizens traveling abroad, allowing them to pay with familiar systems without converting money or relying exclusively on credit cards.
From an incoming tourism perspective, a cross-border QRIS means foreign visitors might use their QR apps in Indonesia more easily, enhancing spending in local stores, restaurants, or tourist sites.
Moreover, this move reinforces Indonesia’s ambition to become a central hub in Asia’s digital payments ecosystem. By exporting its national QR standard, BI strengthens its influence and builds digital infrastructure that could integrate with other payment systems across the region.
The strategy also supports the government’s broader digital economy goals, driving inclusivity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by expanding their customer reach to foreign tourists and cross-border shoppers.
Challenges and Risks Ahead
Despite the ambition, the road to full QRIS implementation in China and South Korea is not without hurdles.
According to Antara News, key challenges include regulatory alignment, since not all countries place their payment-system authority under the central bank.
There are also technical complexities in ensuring real-time settlement, currency conversion, and interoperability without compromising security or user experience.
On the business side, onboarding merchants in foreign markets and convincing them to adopt a foreign QR standard can be difficult.
In addition, cross-border QR payments might face competition from highly entrenched local payment giants, especially in China, where QR payments are already deeply woven into daily life.
