Indonesia’s digital payment service, Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS), is on track for wider international use, with expansion plans underway in China, India, and South Korea. The system is already available in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. 

Bank Indonesia (BI) confirmed that the cross-border rollout is still in progress and provided updates on ongoing negotiations with each country. 

“In China, we’ve made progress on finalizing the business, technical, and operational arrangements,” said BI Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta during a virtual press conference on Wednesday, May 21. 

She explained that UnionPay International is working closely with the Indonesian Payment System Association (ASPI) to complete the final agreements. The initiative is also supported by local switching service providers – Rintis Sejahtera, Alto Network, Artajasa, and Jalin Payment Nusantara – who are collaborating with UnionPay. 

“We hope pilot testing can take place around August 17, 2025,” Filianingsih added. 

As for India, discussions have entered the technical stage. Filianingsih said the talks are currently ongoing between ASPI and NPCI International of India. “We’re hopeful implementation can begin sometime this year,” she noted. 

In South Korea, the process is still at the finalization stage within the industry level. While the central banks of both countries have already reached agreements, the final step lies between ASPI and Korea’s Telecommunication and Clearing Institute. 

Filianingsih acknowledged that there are several complexities involved in expanding QRIS internationally. The first step involves aligning cross-border regulatory frameworks between authorities, which is not always straightforward. 

“Not all payment system authorities operate under the central bank,” she said. That means both countries must first harmonize regulations before aligning infrastructure and involving industry players. Once that’s done, pilot testing of digital payment services between countries can begin. 

This article is published in partnership with Katadata 
Original article here