Indonesia's Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) digital payment system is set to expand to China and South Korea by Q1 2026, with India joining later this year as Bank Indonesia accelerates its cross-border payment infrastructure to eight countries, Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta announced during the January 2026 Board of Governors press conference.
According to Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo, the finalization process with China and South Korea has reached advanced stages, building upon successful implementations already operational in Thailand since August 2022, Malaysia from May 2023, Singapore from November 2023, and most recently Japan launched on August 17, 2025, demonstrating Indonesia's growing regional digital payments leadership.
Cross-border QRIS usage has surged dramatically with 24,121 inbound transactions worth IDR 7.1 billion recorded between January-April 2025 representing 225% year-on-year growth, while total transactions across Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand reached IDR 1.66 trillion by June 2025, with domestic QRIS achieving remarkable 139.99% annual growth in Q4 2025 serving 56.3 million users and 32.71 million merchants.
The expansion to China involves collaboration between UnionPay International and the Indonesian Payment System Association alongside local switching providers Rintis Sejahtera, Alto Network, Artajasa, and Jalin Payment Nusantara, while South Korea integration partners with the Korean Financial Telecommunication and Clearings Institute following sandbox testing that commenced in late 2025.
Bank Indonesia targets 17 billion QRIS transactions in 2026 with cross-border availability in eight countries including ongoing intensive discussions with India and potential future integration with Saudi Arabia to incorporate QRIS into the Nusuk card system for Indonesian hajj and umrah pilgrims, positioning Indonesia's national payment standard as a cornerstone of Asia's increasingly interconnected digital economy ecosystem.
