Gaining Global Recognition, Indonesia's QRIS Receives Prestigious Award in New York
Indonesia’s Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) for cross-border transactions has once again gained international recognition. The Indonesian payment system innovation achieved the ‘50-in-5 Awards 2026’ in the Collaboration category, organised by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) and Co-Develop.
The award was presented during the 50-in-5 Milestone Event at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York, United States, on Monday (21/9/2026).
The award was presented by Co-Develop Chief Investment Officer Lindsey Crumbaugh to Bank Indonesia (BI) Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta, representing Indonesia.
Bank Indonesia stated that the award serves as global recognition of the success achieved by Indonesia and its partner countries in building interoperable and inclusive cross-border digital payment connectivity.
“Cross-border QRIS demonstrates that interoperability does not require every country to have the same system. What is needed is shared goals, trust, agreed standards, and a commitment to connecting the systems already owned by each country,” said Filianingsih in an official BI release on Tuesday (22/9/2026).
This award comes as the use of cross-border QRIS continues to rise. From its initial implementation in 2022 until July 2026, transactions by users from partner countries in Indonesia reached 21 million transactions with a value of Rp5.90 trillion.
Meanwhile, transactions by Indonesian users while in partner countries were recorded at 4.67 million transactions with a value of Rp1.73 trillion.
This means that the value of cross-border QRIS transactions entering Indonesia reached Rp5.90 trillion, which is Rp4.17 trillion higher than the transactions made by Indonesians in partner countries.
The high volume of incoming transactions indicates that the use of QRIS by foreign tourists in Indonesia is expanding. Digital payment connectivity is also considered capable of supporting tourism and trade activities while boosting foreign exchange earnings from international visitors.
Currently, cross-border QRIS connectivity has been developed with several partner countries, namely Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and China.
Through this connectivity, Indonesians can use their everyday payment applications when transacting in partner countries. Conversely, foreign tourists can use payment applications from their home countries to transact with QRIS merchants in Indonesia.
MSMEs Benefit as Well
The benefits of cross-border QRIS are increasing alongside the expansion of the domestic QRIS ecosystem. As of July 2026, QRIS has reached 45.46 million merchants in Indonesia, 96.69% of which are micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Bank Indonesia believes that cross-border payment connectivity provides greater opportunities for Indonesian MSMEs to serve international tourists without having to build or provide new payment systems.
With cross-border QRIS, foreign tourists can use payment applications from their own countries to transact directly with QRIS merchants in Indonesia.
The Indonesian Model Recognised Globally
The 50-in-5 award was given as part of a global campaign aimed at helping 50 countries design, launch, and expand safe, inclusive, and interoperable digital public infrastructure before 2028.
In the Collaboration category, the award was presented to cross-border partnerships judged to have successfully implemented or expanded technology-based digital public infrastructure.
Bank Indonesia explained that the development of cross-border QRIS was not achieved by standardising the payment systems of every country. Instead, each country continues to use its domestic payment infrastructure and connects them through agreed standards and governance.
The development involves Bank Indonesia, the government, the Indonesian Payment System Association (ASPI), the national payment system industry, as well as the authorities and payment industries of partner countries.
“By connecting systems, we connect people and open opportunities beyond national borders,” said Filianingsih.
Moving forward, Bank Indonesia stated it will continue to expand cross-border QRIS connectivity with potential partner countries, particularly those with strong economic, trade, tourism, and human mobility links with Indonesia.
This step is part of Bank Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen a payment system that is fast, easy, inexpensive, secure, and reliable, while simultaneously expanding Indonesia’s economic and financial inclusion at regional and global levels.