Indonesia expands QRIS to Saudi Arabia and India as Bali targets new tourism markets
Bali newsBali5 min read
Indonesia is expanding its Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard QRIS digital payment system to include Saudi Arabia and India, aiming to boost tourism and cross-border transactions. This initiative follows a significant increase in QRIS use in Bali, with cross-border transactions reaching Rp36 billion in 2025, a 229% rise from Rp10.9 billion in 2024. The volume of these transactions also grew by 224% to 148,717 in 2025. Head of Bank Indonesia’s Bali Representative Office, Achris Sarwani, noted that QRIS is currently connected to payment platforms in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and China. Trials are underway with Saudi Arabia, a key market for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims, and India, which is an increasingly important source of tourists for Bali. Malaysian tourists are currently the most frequent users of QRIS in Bali and nationally. Over 1.1 million businesses in Bali now accept QRIS, with more than 1.15 million users. This expansion supports Bali's tourism sector, which saw 3.2 million foreign tourist arrivals in the first half of 2026. Australia remains the top source of visitors, followed by China and India. Direct flights between Bali and both India and Saudi Arabia further facilitate access from these emerging markets.
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