Summary of this article
UPI and KHQR enable seamless India–Cambodia QR payments.
Tourists pay locally using home apps with instant settlement.
Partnership boosts cross-border digital transactions and convenience.
NPCI International Payments, the international arm of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has signed an agreement with Cambodia’s ACLEDA Bank to allow QR code-based payments between India and Cambodia. The move would provide travellers from both countries with an easy and familiar way to make digital payments during their trips.
Expanding QR Payment Acceptance
The agreement will allow Indian tourists to use their Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-enabled apps at KHQR merchant outlets across Cambodia. KHQR is the national QR standard operating under Cambodia’s Bakong system, for which ACLEDA Bank is the nominated operator.
The arrangement will open access to more than 4.50 million KHQR merchant points in Cambodia through which Indian tourists will be able to make payments at restaurants, shops, tourist sites, and other businesses without using cash or foreign cards.
Cambodian travellers coming to India can make payments by scanning QR codes through their local banking apps. India today has hundreds of millions of UPI QR acceptance points, making the system one of the world’s largest digital payment networks. Allowing Cambodian apps to scan these codes is expected to help travellers avoid the hassle of changing currency and getting hit by high fees.
A Step Towards Regional Digital Payment Links
The partnership also fits the broader trend of Asian countries working to link their domestic payment systems. Several other Southeast Asian nations have started building cross-border QR networks to foster affordable, rapid transactions and make it easier to transact for travellers.
India and Cambodia have now joined this regional effort by allowing interoperability between UPI and KHQR. The collaboration will further support smaller businesses by opening up their customer base without needing additional payment infrastructure.
Focus on Simplicity and Security
This integration will be done using existing security norms and network-to-network connectivity. This means the systems of each country will work through their own established infrastructure, keeping data and operation within their regulatory frameworks.
For consumers, the process will be simple. An overseas traveller can open the payment app they use today, scan a merchant’s QR code, and pay in their home currency. The conversion and settlement will happen through the back-end systems.
