Indonesian Credit Card Expands Digital Payment Access via QRIS

Coinciding with the 81st anniversary of Indonesian independence, Bank Indonesia (BI) together with the Indonesian Payment System Association launched a payment option through the Indonesian Credit Card (KKI) for retail customers on Monday (17/8). KKI is an alternative digital payment instrument that offers deferred payment facilities and is processed domestically. This is expected to expand access to digital payments through QRIS.

BI Acting Governor Destry Damayanti emphasised that every advancement in the payment system must ultimately aim to drive economic growth that provides real benefits for the public, while strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of the national economy. “This policy is built on the principle of balance that provides benefits for the public and opens room for growth for merchants,” she said in an official statement on Monday (17/8).

Since 17 August 2026, eight Payment Service Providers (PJP) have issued KKI, namely BCA, Mandiri, BNI, BRI, CIMB Niaga, Permata, Bank Mega, and BSI, which is developing sharia-based financing. Going forward, KKI will continue to be developed in terms of features and services. Destry expressed hope that the presence of KKI can open business development opportunities for payment system service providers. “KKI can create new opportunities for payment system service providers while maintaining industry sustainability,” she added.

According to Destry, the policy is a form of contribution by BI together with the payment system industry for the Indonesian nation, as well as part of efforts to bring the benefits of payment digitalisation to the public in the momentum of the independence anniversary.

On the same occasion, BI also announced the expansion of the 0% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) policy for QRIS, effective from 1 October 2026. The 0% MDR policy continues to apply to Micro Business (UMI) merchants for transactions up to Rp500,000. The policy is also extended to all other merchant categories, namely small, medium, and large businesses, for transactions up to Rp100,000. Previously, transactions in those categories were subject to an MDR of 0.7%.

The expansion of the 0% MDR is expected to improve transaction cost efficiency for business actors while encouraging wider benefits of payment digitalisation for the public.

The development of QRIS acceptance shows the growing role of the payment system in public economic activity. As of June 2026, the number of QRIS users reached 65.77 million, with 6.23 million of them being new users during January–June 2026. This shows that QRIS adoption is still ongoing. QRIS has also reached 44.86 million merchants, with 96.68% of them being MSMEs. This composition shows that payment digitalisation is not only utilised by large-scale businesses but has also reached micro and small business actors widely.

The expansion of the user and merchant base is also reflected in transaction growth. Throughout the first half of 2026, QRIS recorded 12.55 billion transactions. In nominal terms, the transaction value reached Rp1.12 quadrillion, growing 93.92% year-on-year (yoy).

Destry emphasised that the launch of KKI and the expansion of the 0% MDR QRIS policy are part of BI’s synergy with associations, Payment Service Providers (PJP), and various stakeholders.