Indonesia Explores QRIS Cross-Border Payment Expansion to India and Saudi Arabia

Bank Indonesia (BI) is exploring the expansion of cross-border payment cooperation with several countries, namely India, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong. Currently, cross-border transactions using the QRIS system can only be conducted in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and China. Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia, Filianingsih Hendarta, stated that the central bank is engaged in intensive discussions regarding this cross-border cooperation. “We are currently continuing discussions with India for cross-border payments, and we have also started in-depth discussions with Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong,” Filianingsih said during a virtual press conference on Wednesday. She did not specify when an agreement might be reached, noting that the implementation of cross-border transactions requires careful attention to the readiness of each country. “For implementation, we must pay attention to the readiness of each country, including regulations, infrastructure, and industry coordination with the relevant authorities,” she explained. In the second quarter of 2026, BI recorded that cross-border QRIS transactions reached a net inbound value of IDR 1.52 trillion. This figure was derived from inbound transactions totalling IDR 1.85 trillion and outbound transactions of approximately IDR 330 billion.