Bank Indonesia Opens Door for US Cooperation on QRIS in Trade Discussions
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JAKARTA, investortrust.id — As the United States raises concerns over Indonesia’s domestic payment systems in ongoing trade negotiations, Bank Indonesia has defended its policy, asserting that it supports open cooperation with foreign counterparts when technical readiness allows.
The payment technologies in question, Quick Response Indonesian Standard or QRIS and the National Payment Gateway known as GPN, were cited in a recent Foreign Trade Barriers report released by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The USTR criticized the requirement that all domestic retail debit and credit card transactions be processed through GPN-authorized switching entities based in Indonesia, claiming it restricts access for foreign service providers.
Responding to the issue, Bank Indonesia Senior Deputy Governor Destry Damayanti explained that Indonesia’s digital payment collaborations operate on a principle of mutual readiness. “QRIS and other fast payment systems work through partnerships with other countries. We don’t discriminate,” she said after attending a financial education event for Indonesian migrant workers at the Ministry of Finance in Jakarta on Monday, April 21, 2025.
“If the US is ready, we’re ready—so why not?” Destry said.
Destry also addressed the presence of U.S.-based players in Indonesia’s payment market, saying there has been no disruption to their operations. “Visa and Mastercard still dominate the credit card market here. So I don’t really see a problem,” she added, signaling that foreign payment networks continue to thrive despite the implementation of GPN.
The USTR’s 2025 report, published in late February, flagged Bank Indonesia Regulation No. 19/08/2017, which mandates that all domestic debit and credit card transactions be routed through local switching institutions licensed by Bank Indonesia. This provision has reportedly become a point of contention in trade talks under the reciprocal tariff regime introduced by the U.S.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto earlier confirmed that the government has coordinated with Bank Indonesia and the Financial Services Authority to address U.S. concerns over these payment policies. “We have aligned with OJK and Bank Indonesia, particularly regarding the payment systems that the U.S. has flagged,” said Airlangga during a press briefing on Saturday, April 19, 2025.