BI Launches Two New Policies as a Gift for Indonesia's 81st Independence Day

Bank Indonesia (BI) officially launched the expansion of the 0% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for QRIS and the implementation of the Kartu Kredit Indonesia (KKI) for the retail segment on Monday, 17 August 2026. The programme was announced at the BI office in Central Jakarta together with BI’s Acting Governor, Destry Damayanti, and all members of the BI Board of Governors.

On the occasion, Destry Damayanti said that, coinciding with the 81st anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Indonesia, BI was demonstrating an important step in the journey of the National Payment System. This commitment was realised through the launch of the expanded 0% MDR QRIS policy and the implementation of the Kartu Kredit Indonesia.

“This is in line with the pillars of the 2030 Indonesian Payment System blueprint and the government’s Asta Cita that BI will continue to encourage the system to become a driver of inclusive, efficient, and sustainable economic growth,” she said at the launch in Jakarta.

She assessed that amid global economic dynamics still filled with uncertainty and challenges to people’s purchasing power, joint steps from stakeholders were needed to maintain the momentum of national economic growth. On the other hand, the increasingly digital behaviour of society has demanded that the payment system continue to develop adaptively, inclusively, safely, and prudently so that it can answer the various needs of the community and ultimately support national economic stability.

According to her, the payment system is not merely a means of transaction, but is the lifeblood of economic activity that connects the public with businesses, connects innovation with productivity, and connects trust with economic growth.

“Therefore, every advancement in the payment system must lead to one goal, namely a pro-growth policy that provides real benefits for the public while strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the national economy. Departing from this spirit, Bank Indonesia is launching two complementary policies to strengthen public consumption, improve transaction efficiency, and accelerate the digital economy,” she explained.

The first BI policy is the expansion of the 0% MDR QRIS policy for transactions up to Rp100,000 across all merchant categories, while the 0% MDR QRIS for micro business category remains valid for transactions up to Rp500,000. The expansion of the 0% MDR QRIS will take effect from 1 October 2026. This policy will provide room for transaction cost efficiency for business actors so that the benefits of the digital economy are broader and more inclusive, thereby supporting the strengthening of people’s purchasing power.

In addition, the expansion of the 0% MDR QRIS is expected to encourage acceptance and an increase in QRIS transaction volume, expand payment digitalisation across various business segments, and support increased economic activity and public spending.

The second policy is the implementation of the Kartu Kredit Indonesia as an efficient, prudent, and integrated alternative domestic deferred payment instrument with the national payment system infrastructure. The presence of this domestic scheme will provide broader space for business actors to enter the digital ecosystem while providing an alternative credit facility to support public consumption.

Destry further explained that these policies are a tangible manifestation of BI’s contribution together with national payment system stakeholders as well as an independence gift for the Indonesian nation. As a result, this policy is built on the principle of balance that provides benefits for the public, opens room for growth for merchants, and creates new opportunities for payment system service providers while maintaining industry sustainability.

After the launch, Head of BI’s Payment System Policy Department, Ryan Rizaldy, said that BI continues to encourage increased transaction efficiency, expanded access to digital payments, and the provision of increasingly diverse domestic payment instruments. This step is taken to provide greater room for the public to transact safely, easily, and efficiently while strengthening national economic activity.

“Starting 1 October 2026, Bank Indonesia is expanding the 0% Merchant Discount Rate QRIS policy that applies to all merchant categories for transactions up to Rp100,000,” Ryan said.

He said this policy is an expansion of the policy that has so far been given to micro businesses and certain merchant categories such as government, BLU or PSO, and national donations. As a result, the expansion of the 0% MDR QRIS policy is expected to reduce the cost burden for merchants while encouraging QRIS acceptance. Thus, the digital economy will be more inclusive and provide greater benefits for business actors and all levels of society.

BI together with the Indonesian Payment System Association (ASPI) also launched the Kartu Kredit Indonesia. In this case, the Indonesian Payment System Industry is presenting an alternative payment instrument with a deferred payment mechanism domestically that is efficient, prudent, and integrated with the national payment system infrastructure.

Ryan said the development of the Kartu Kredit Indonesia is also directed at strengthening and supporting the development of Indonesia’s digital financial ecosystem. The Kartu Kredit Indonesia as an alternative payment instrument expands the payment instruments that can be used by the public and accepted by business actors, thereby supporting increased domestic economic activity.