Indonesia's cross-border QRIS wins global digital infrastructure award

Photo caption: QRIS payment (ANTARA FOTO/Aprillio Akbar/agr)

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's cross-border QRIS payment initiative has won the Collaboration category at the 2026 "50-in-5 Awards" in New York, recognizing its role in expanding international digital financial infrastructure, Bank Indonesia announced Tuesday.

The award was presented during a ceremony held alongside the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81), on Monday.

Organized by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) and Co-Develop, the "50-in-5" initiative honors breakthrough cross-border public digital technology projects.

Accepting the award, Bank Indonesia (BI) Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta emphasized that international financial interoperability does not require countries to adopt identical payment systems.

"By connecting systems, we connect people and unlock opportunities that transcend national borders," Hendarta said, noting that cross-border integration relies on shared goals, mutual trust, and standardized protocols.

Developed by Bank Indonesia alongside regional central banks and payment industry players, Cross-Border QRIS currently links Indonesia’s domestic payment network with Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and China.

According to central bank data, inbound cross-border QRIS transactions in Indonesia reached 21 million operations valued at Rp5.90 trillion ($322 million) between 2022 and July 2026.

In contrast, outbound transactions by Indonesian travelers in partner countries totaled 4.67 million operations worth Rp1.73 trillion ($94 million)—generating a net inflow of Rp4.17 trillion ($227 million).

BI officials noted that the system significantly benefits Indonesia’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which account for 96.69 percent of the nation's 45.46 million registered QRIS merchants, enabling them to accept payments directly from foreign tourists.

Bank Indonesia stated it will continue expanding QRIS integration to additional partner nations with strong trade, tourism, and diplomatic ties.