Indonesia won the "50-in-5 Awards 2026" in the Collaboration category for its Cross-Border Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) innovation at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York (21/09).

Co-Develop Chief Investment Officer Lindsey Crumbaugh presented the global award to Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta during the 50-in-5 Milestone Event.

Cross-Border QRIS Global Award 2026: Multi-Country Partnership Drives Digital Infrastructure

The international achievement resulted from collaboration between Bank Indonesia, the Government, the Indonesian payment system industry, and payment system authorities and industries in partner countries.

“Cross-Border QRIS demonstrates that interoperability does not require every country to have the same system,” said Filianingsih. “What is needed is a common goal, trust, agreed standards, and a commitment to connecting existing systems in each country. By connecting systems, we connect people and open opportunities beyond national borders.”

Cross-Border QRIS Global Award 2026: Global Advocacy Campaign Honors Digital Public Goods

The 50-in-5 campaign is a global advocacy initiative aimed at supporting 50 countries to design, launch, and expand safe, inclusive, and interoperable digital public infrastructure components before 2028.

The Collaboration category recognizes cross-border partnerships that implement or expand public infrastructure using digital technology, evaluated on technology, interoperability, security, inclusion, and real implementation achievements.

Cross-Border QRIS Global Award 2026: International Transactions Deliver Financial Inflow

The Cross-Border QRIS initiative connects Indonesia's domestic payment ecosystem with partner countries, allowing Indonesian residents to use familiar payment applications abroad while foreign tourists use their local apps at Indonesian QRIS merchants.

Bank Indonesia has expanded Cross-Border QRIS connectivity through cooperation with Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and China.

From its 2022 implementation through July 2026, foreign visitors made 21 million transactions in Indonesia valued at Rp5.90 trillion, while Indonesian users made 4.67 million transactions in partner countries worth Rp1.73 trillion.

The incoming transaction value to Indonesia was Rp4.17 trillion higher than the transaction value of Indonesian users abroad, supporting foreign exchange receipts from foreign tourists.

Cross-Border QRIS Global Award 2026: Local MSMEs Gain International Access

As of July 2026, domestic QRIS reached 45.46 million merchants, with 96.69% consisting of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The cross-border system enables Indonesian business owners, especially MSMEs, to serve foreign tourists using their daily digital payment infrastructure without requiring a new payment system.

Bank Indonesia plans to expand Cross-Border QRIS with potential partner countries that have strong economic, trade, tourism, and population mobility connections with Indonesia.

PHOTO: ANTARA

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