JakartaGlobe-Apr 22
Bank Indonesia is scheduled to officially launch cross-border Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard connectivity with China on April 30, following a successful trial period that generated transactions worth hundreds of billions of rupiah. The rollout of cross-border QRIS is part of Indonesia’s broader strategy to reduce dependence on the US dollar and support rupiah exchange-rate stability. Under the arrangement, Indonesian travelers will be able to make payments using QRIS in China, while Chinese visitors will be able to use compatible systems in Indonesia. Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta said on Wednesday that the initiative received strong enthusiasm during the sandbox testing phase. “Hopefully, on April 30, 2026, we will be able to officially launch it. Even during the trial phase alone, transaction volume reached 1.64 million transactions with a value of Rp 556 billion ($32 million),” Filianingsih said during a virtual press conference following Bank Indonesia’s April 2026 Board of Governors meeting. On the Indonesian side, 24 institutions are participating, including 16 banks and eight non-bank entities. China has 19 participating institutions ready to support the payment connectivity framework. At the same briefing, Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo said Indonesia’s digital economic and financial transactions continued to post strong growth in the first quarter of 2026, supported by a payment system considered secure, smooth, and reliable. Total digital payment transaction volume reached 14.82 billion transactions, up 37.69% year-on-year. QRIS transactions in particular showed exceptional performance, surging 116.43% from a year earlier. “The positive performance was supported by growth in the number of users and merchants,” Perry said. Read more at:
