Indonesia, China launch cross-border QR payments linkage via Alipay+ and UnionPay

Indonesia and China have officially launched a cross-border QR payments linkage connecting Indonesia’s QRIS network with China’s major payment ecosystems, in a move positioned to strengthen regional commerce, tourism, and digital payment interoperability across Asia.

The initiative, launched under the guidance of Bank Indonesia and the People’s Bank of China, enables users of Alipay and the UnionPay App to make payments at more than 40 million QRIS merchants across Indonesia, the majority of which are MSMEs.

At the same time, Indonesian users with QRIS-supported eWallets and banking apps can now scan more than 80 million Alipay and UnionPay QR codes across China.

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The linkage is powered by Alipay+, the unified wallet gateway of Ant International, alongside UnionPay International, and marks one of the most significant cross-border payment interoperability efforts between the two countries to date.

The launch comes as Chinese arrivals to Indonesia continue to rebound. In 2025, Indonesia recorded more than 1.34 million visitors from China, the highest level in six years, creating growing demand for frictionless payment experiences among inbound travellers.

For Indonesian merchants, particularly MSMEs, the integration is designed to lower barriers to international commerce. Merchants do not need additional hardware or new integrations, as existing QRIS codes can already accept payments from Chinese users.

The initiative also aligns with wider efforts across Asia to establish interoperable, real-time payment infrastructure between national payment systems, supporting local currency transactions and reducing friction in cross-border spending.

“Interoperability is the foundation of the next generation of cross-border payments,” said Michael Guo, Alipay+ 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. This recent launch reflects our continued commitment to building an open, seamless payments ecosystem that benefits merchants, consumers, and economies.”

According to the companies involved, cross-border QRIS transactions via Alipay demonstrated strong momentum during the pilot phase, signalling growing awareness and adoption of QR-based international payments among consumers.

The rollout also reflects a broader shift in how digital payment providers are positioning themselves within regional commerce ecosystems. Rather than requiring merchants to adopt new infrastructure, platforms are increasingly focusing on interoperability layers that connect existing domestic systems to international users.

The Indonesia-China linkage further expands Alipay+’s regional footprint. The platform currently partners with 50 international eWallets and banking apps, connecting more than two billion user accounts with over 150 million merchants globally, including more than 10 national payment schemes across Asia and other regions.

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