QRIS Trials Begin in China as Bank Indonesia Pushes for Wider Cross-Border Adoption
Main Takeaways
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Bank Indonesia and the People’s Bank of China have launched operational trials for cross-border QR code payments, linking Indonesia’s national QR standard, QRIS, with China’s payment system to allow seamless transactions between the two countries.
Speaking in Jakarta on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo said the initiative marked a significant step in expanding QRIS capabilities and underscored the central bank’s commitment to digital economic inclusion.
"The continuous development and innovation of QRIS features aim to expand its acceptance and support digital economic and financial inclusiveness. One of the innovations is the cross-border QRIS," Warjiyo said during Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day celebration.
He emphasized that the interconnection would benefit micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by easing cross-border trade and financial transactions while also promoting tourism between Indonesia and China.
The trials involve the Indonesian Payment System Association (ASPI), China’s UnionPay International (UPI), and payment system operators from both countries. Warjiyo expressed hope that the trials would lead to a full-scale launch of QRIS services for Chinese users and merchants.
Technical Readiness and Strategic Partnerships
The cross-border QRIS project has reached an advanced stage of development, with all major switching service providers in Indonesia—PT Rintis Sejahtera (Rintis), PT Alto Network (Alto), PT Artajasa Pembayaran Elektronis (Artajasa), and PT Jalin Pembayaran Nusantara (Jalin)—signing an agreement with UnionPay International to begin system development and sandbox testing.
BI Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta earlier confirmed that business, technical, and operational arrangements between ASPI and UnionPay were progressing smoothly.
Warjiyo noted that this milestone reflected the shared determination between the central bank and the broader payment industry to bring Indonesian digital payment solutions onto the global stage.
Growing Regional Footprint
Launched in 2019, the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) has already expanded its regional footprint through partnerships in Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. The rollout in China represents QRIS’s most ambitious expansion to date, given the size and maturity of China’s digital payment market.
On the same day as the China trial launch, Bank Indonesia also officially launched cross-border QRIS usage in Japan, timed to coincide with the country’s Independence Day celebration. The bilateral cooperation enables Indonesian users to make payments at select Japanese merchants using domestic digital payment apps, further cementing QRIS as a tool for financial connectivity in Asia.
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