Indonesia, China Launch Cross-Border QR Payment Linkage
Indonesia and China have officially launched a cross-border QR payment linkage connecting Indonesia’s Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) system with China’s major digital payment platforms, in a move aimed at deepening economic integration and simplifying transactions for millions of travelers and businesses.
The initiative, launched under the guidance of Bank Indonesia and the People’s Bank of China, enables consumers in both countries to make payments using their domestic e-wallets by scanning QR codes abroad. The system is supported by Alipay+, the wallet gateway operated by Ant International, alongside UnionPay International.
Regional Payment Connectivity
The launch marks a major milestone in regional payment connectivity between China’s 1.4 billion population and Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy with more than 280 million people.
Under the new arrangement, users of Alipay and the UnionPay App can make payments at more than 40 million QRIS merchants across Indonesia, the majority of which are micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Indonesian users of QRIS-enabled banking and e-wallet apps will, in turn, be able to scan more than 80 million Alipay and UnionPay QR codes across China.
Officials and industry participants said the linkage is expected to improve travel convenience, support local currency settlement in cross-border transactions, and streamline tourism and trade between the two countries.
Boost for Indonesian Merchants
The initiative could provide a significant boost for Indonesian merchants, particularly small businesses that rely heavily on tourism spending. Merchants already using QRIS will not need additional hardware or technical upgrades to accept payments from Chinese visitors.
Chinese tourism to Indonesia has rebounded strongly, with arrivals reaching a six-year high of more than 1.34 million visitors in 2025, according to figures cited in the announcement. Industry observers say easier payment options could further increase spending among inbound travelers.
The rollout also forms part of a wider regional effort to build interoperable real-time payment systems across Asia. QRIS has already expanded cross-border connectivity with several ASEAN countries as governments push for more integrated digital financial infrastructure.
Interoperable Digital Payments
Alipay+, which provides the technical infrastructure connecting the payment ecosystems, said the collaboration demonstrates growing momentum toward interoperable digital payments.
«Interoperability is the foundation of the next generation of cross-border payments,» said Michael Guo, General Manager for Southeast Asia, South Asia and ANZ at Ant International. «Through Alipay+, we connect national QR schemes with global merchants and wallet users, enabling local businesses to participate in the digital economy on a global scale.»
The companies involved said transaction growth during the pilot phase indicated rising consumer awareness and demand for cross-border QR payments, underscoring the role of digital innovation in supporting economic growth and regional commerce.
