Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Bank Indonesia (BI) announced plans to officially roll out the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) for use in Japan starting August 17, 2025. The roll out marking another milestone in the central bank’s push to expand cross-border digital payments.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta said the QRIS pilot program in Japan had reached the sandbox phase and was progressing smoothly.
“Hopefully, if there are no major hurdles, we can launch QRIS payments in Japan on August 17,” Filianingsih said, as reported by Antara.
BI has been working with Japanese digital payment providers on a series of technical steps to enable the service. The trial phase began on May 15 and has shown promising results, Filianingsih noted. If all goes as planned, Indonesian travelers will soon be able to make payments in Japan by simply scanning a QR code.
Beyond Japan, BI is also deepening cooperation with China to enable QRIS payments through UnionPay International and Indonesia’s Payment System Association (ASPI).
Four Indonesian switching service providers have signed agreements with UnionPay and are developing the necessary systems while preparing for sandbox trials. BI hopes trials with China can also begin around August 17.
Expanding the QRIS Network: India, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia
QRIS cross-border integration is also being pursued with India, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.
Filianingsih said technical discussions between ASPI and NPCI International are ongoing in India, while in South Korea, final coordination is underway between ASPI and the Korean Financial Telecommunications and Clearings Institute (KFTC). BI has already completed inter-central bank discussions with the Bank of Korea.
Read Also:
Indonesia Needs $45 Billion in New Investment to Achieve 8% Economic Growth Target
In Saudi Arabia, BI has held talks with the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) and is planning further discussions with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which is encouraging digital payments to accommodate large pilgrim populations, particularly Indonesians.
“We hope to hold more intensive discussions with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah by the end of this month,” she added.
Challenges and Guiding Principles
QRIS is already operational in several Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, as part of a regional effort to promote seamless digital payments.
Despite its expansion, QRIS adoption across borders faces significant regulatory and institutional challenges. Filianingsih noted that not all countries place payment system oversight under their central banks, as Indonesia does.
This requires BI to study each partner country’s institutional structure, align regulations, and synchronize payment infrastructure before moving into pilot testing and eventual implementation.
BI Governor Perry Warjiyo emphasized that cross-border QRIS development is guided by three core principles: national interest, regulatory coordination, and industry support.
“There’s a process where the industry must first align. Once aligned with national interest and industry agreements, then implementation can follow across the board,” Perry said.
(Raidi/Agung)
