Jakarta. Indonesia is pushing ahead with the international expansion of its national QR code payment system despite mounting scrutiny from Washington, which has accused the country of erecting trade barriers through its digital payment policies.

Bank Indonesia (BI) Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta said the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) is now interoperable with payment systems in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, with upcoming partnerships planned with Japan, India, South Korea, China, and Saudi Arabia.

“The cross-border use of QRIS continues to grow,” Filianingsih said recently. “This is part of our commitment to building a more inclusive and efficient digital payment ecosystem.”

Launched in 2019, QRIS has emerged as a cornerstone of Indonesia’s digital finance strategy. By the first quarter of 2025, the platform had reached 56.3 million users and facilitated 2.6 billion transactions worth Rp 262.1 trillion ($16.4 billion). QRIS is currently used by 38.1 million merchants, mostly small businesses, with no minimum transaction requirement and low or no fees for micro merchants.

QRIS Tap, a newer feature using near-field communication (NFC) technology, has also gained traction since its March debut, recording 42.9 million transactions from 20.8 million users. More than 1.4 million merchants are now equipped to accept QRIS Tap.

However, the system has drawn criticism from the US government, which argues that Indonesia’s QRIS and National Payment Gateway (NPG) policies disadvantage foreign firms like Visa and Mastercard. The complaint is part of broader US trade concerns that have led President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 32 percent on Indonesian goods, starting this July.

Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said Indonesia remains open to international players. “QRIS and NPG are not meant to exclude foreign operators,” Airlangga said. “Visa and Mastercard continue to operate freely here. We offer a level playing field.”

Retail association chairman Budihardjo Iduansjah also dismissed accusations of protectionism, saying QRIS merely offers consumers another option. “Credit cards and international systems are still in use across Indonesia. QRIS is just an additional tool for convenience and security,” he said.

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