Cross-border linkage
To support Indonesia's vision of a standardized global trade and retail payment infrastructure, QRIS has established and rapidly expanded its cross-border transactions reach. As of 2 August 2024, users can pay with QRIS or participating apps in Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. With QRIS Cross Border, Indonesian tourists abroad can now make transactions simply by scanning QRIS through domestic payment applications from Indonesian banks or digital wallets. There is no need to physically exchange currency or pay international card conversion fees.[19]
QRIS's overseas expansion commenced with a pilot program between Indonesia and Thailand on 17 August 2021, followed by a full rollout on 29 August 2022.[20] A similar path was taken with Malaysia, starting with a pilot on 27 January 2022, and a commercial launch on 8 May 2023.[21] On 17 November 2023, QRIS was integrated with Singapore's SGQR.[22]
By 2 August 2024, MoUs had been signed with South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, with plans to enable QRIS transactions in these countries, as well as Japan and India, in the near future.[23]
On 17 August 2025, coinciding with Indonesia's 80th Independence Day, QRIS was launched in Japan as a cross-border payment method, making Japan the first non-ASEAN country to adopt it. Plans are underway to expand its use in Japan and facilitate transactions for Japanese citizens in Indonesia. This achievement results from collaboration among Bank Indonesia, the Indonesian Payment Systems Association (ASPI), Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Payment Japan Association (PJA), and Global Netstars. Concurrently, Bank Indonesia has started QRIS interconnection trials with China in partnership with the People's Bank of China (PBoC).[24][17]
BI targets the operational launch of QRIS in China by the end of 2025. BI Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta revealed that trials for QRIS interconnection with the PBoC commenced on 17 August 2025. These trials involve ASPI, UnionPay International (UPI), and various payment system service providers. The objective is to facilitate two-way transactions, enabling Indonesians to make transactions in China and vice versa.[25]
During a meeting with Eleventh Commission of the House of Representatives on 22 August 2025, the Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI), Perry Warjiyo, announced that BI is in the process of implementing the QRIS payment system in Saudi Arabia. This initiative aims to simplify transactions for Indonesian Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, allowing them to use QRIS for payments in Saudi Arabia. The implementation is a collaboration between BI and the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and is expected to be integrated with the Nusuk card, the official card for pilgrims.[26][27] The QRIS service is expected to be operational in Saudi Arabia by 2026.[28]
In February 2026, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced that QRIS will be available for use in APEC member states, though no specific launch date was given.[29]
