Can Foreign Tourists Pay With QRIS in Bali?

Yes, as long as you come from one of the six countries already linked to cross-border QRIS: Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and China. That list comes from Achris Sarwani, head of Bank Indonesia's Bali office, speaking to ANTARA in August 2026. Visitors from Australia, Europe, the US or India cannot yet pay QRIS straight from their home bank apps.

How does it work?

You open your home bank or e-wallet app, scan the QRIS code at the counter, and see the bill in rupiah along with the exchange rate and the amount that will be charged in your currency. No Indonesian account, no money changer. The merchant receives rupiah like any normal QRIS payment.

Which apps work?

• Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore: linked the longest. Apps often named on partner lists include Touch 'n Go eWallet and Maybank (Malaysia), DBS PayLah! and OCBC (Singapore), and major Thai bank apps such as Kasikornbank and Bangkok Bank.
• China: live since 30 April 2026 through Alipay and the UnionPay app. WeChat Pay is not yet; as of May 2026 Bank Indonesia still described it as in development.
• South Korea: the link was launched by Bank Indonesia and the Bank of Korea on 1 April 2026.
• Japan: Indonesians have been able to use QRIS in Japan since 17 August 2025. The other direction, Japanese tourists paying in Indonesia, was only approved in March 2026, so app choice is still limited.

Partner app lists keep growing and differ by bank. The quickest check: before you fly, open the scan feature in your app and look for "QRIS" or "Indonesia" under overseas payments.

Are there extra fees?

For the shop, cross-border QRIS costs the same as domestic QRIS. Bank Indonesia rules also bar merchants from passing the QRIS merchant fee (MDR) on to buyers, so a "QRIS fee" added at the till is worth questioning. On your side, the rate and fees are set by your home bank or wallet. Some give close to market rates, others add a margin. Compare the confirmation screen with the day's rate before you tap pay.

Is there a spending limit?

Per-transaction and daily limits follow your app, not any Bali rule. For big payments such as a villa or a multi-day tour, check your limit first or keep a credit card as backup.

I'm from Australia or Europe. What are my options?

• Credit and debit cards work at hotels, restaurants and larger shops. Choose to be charged in rupiah, not your home currency, to avoid dynamic currency conversion, which is usually worse.
• Rupiah cash is still needed for small warungs, parking and village fees. How to change and withdraw money safely is covered in our guide to changing money and paying in Bali.
• Local e-wallets (GoPay, OVO, DANA, ShopeePay) generally need an Indonesian phone number and identity verification for full features. Their rules on passports and foreign cards change, so check the current requirements in the app. You can get a local number with a tourist eSIM or SIM card; see our SIM and eSIM guide.
• Third-party apps that claim to pay QRIS with a foreign card do exist. Some fund payments from a crypto or stablecoin balance. Check their licensing, and remember that paying directly in crypto is illegal in Indonesia; details in our article on dollars and crypto.

How do I scan safely?

• Check that the merchant name on screen matches the shop before paying. Fake QR stickers placed over real ones have been reported in several cities.
• With a static (printed) QR, you type the amount yourself. Count the zeros.
• Show the "success" screen to the cashier and keep a screenshot until the payment appears in your statement.

Do many tourists actually use QRIS?

Still few, but growing fast. Bank Indonesia recorded IDR 36 billion in cross-border QRIS payments in Bali in 2025 across 148,717 transactions, up more than 200% on 2024. Malaysians use it most. According to Bank Indonesia, the six partner countries cover only about 40% of foreign arrivals, and trials with Saudi Arabia and India are under way. Until your country is on the list, travel with a card plus some cash.