81st Independence Day Gift: BI Makes QRIS Transaction Fees Free
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia has become a stage for Bank Indonesia (BI) and the National Payment System Association (ASPI) to strengthen national digital economic independence.
Precisely on the celebration of the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia, Bank Indonesia together with ASPI officially launched the Indonesian Credit Card (KKI) while also making QRIS transaction fees free.
The presence of this domestic payment instrument with a deferred payment facility is designed to strengthen the national digital financial economy through increased transaction efficiency, expanded inclusivity, and enhanced competitiveness of business actors.
In addition to launching the KKI, Bank Indonesia also announced the expansion of the 0% QRIS Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) policy, which will take effect on 1 October 2026.
The fee waiver policy is continued for Micro Enterprise (UMI) merchants for transactions up to Rp500,000, and is expanded to all other merchant categories (small, medium, and large) for transactions up to Rp100,000, from the previous rate of 0.7%. This strategic step was taken to reduce transaction cost inefficiencies for business actors and expand the benefits of payment digitalisation.
Acting Governor of Bank Indonesia, Destry Damayanti, affirmed the commitment of Bank Indonesia and the payment system industry in supporting the national economy through this policy response.
“This policy response stems from an optimism that this policy is a tangible manifestation of the contribution of Bank Indonesia together with the payment system industry for the Indonesian nation, as well as an independence gift for the public. Therefore, this policy is built on the principle of balance that provides benefits for the public, opens growth space for merchants, and creates new opportunities for Payment System Service Providers, while maintaining industry sustainability,” said Destry Damayanti.
As an initial stage as of 17 August 2026, eight Payment Service Providers (PJP) have issued the Indonesian Credit Card, namely BCA, Mandiri, BNI, BRI, CIMB Niaga, Permata, Bank Mega, and BSI for the sharia financing scheme. The KKI can be used as a source of transaction funds using the QRIS payment method, both by scan and tap, and its features and services will continue to be developed in the future.
This innovation step is driven by the rapid acceptance of QRIS in the community. As of June 2026, the number of QRIS users has reached 65.77 million people, with 44.86 million merchants dominated by MSMEs at 96.68%. Throughout the first half of 2026, QRIS transaction volume recorded a fantastic figure of 12.55 billion transactions with a nominal value reaching Rp1.12 quadrillion, or a surge of 93.92% (year-on-year).
The synergy between Bank Indonesia, ASPI, and all stakeholders in the launch of the KKI and the expansion of the 0% MDR is an important part of accelerating the strengthening of the digital economy and national economic independence, in line with the Indonesian Payment System Blueprint 2030 and the Government’s Asta Cita programme.