Indonesia expands digital payment connectivity and creative economy rankings

Indonesia is expanding its digital payment and classification systems to bolster its creative economy and international connectivity. The Ministry of Creative Economy is developing ‘QRIS Star,’ a ranking system inspired by the Michelin star model. This system aims to classify creative economy businesses and services, helping both domestic and foreign tourists identify high-quality products and destinations.

Simultaneously, cross-border digital transactions using the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) have seen significant growth. As of July 2026, QRIS Cross Border transactions reached Rp7.63 trillion, totaling 25.67 million transactions. Of this, transactions by foreign users within Indonesia accounted for Rp5.90 trillion, while Indonesian users abroad accounted for Rp1.73 trillion.

Bank Indonesia has already established connectivity with Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and China. The central bank plans to expand this network to Hong Kong and Timor Leste in 2026, potentially bringing the total number of connected countries to eight, with further expansions planned for 2027.