India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has expanded its international presence with the launch of UPI acceptance in Cambodia. NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has partnered with ACLEDA Bank Plc. to enable Indian travellers to make QR-code-based payments across Cambodia.
The service was officially launched during a ceremony in Phnom Penh attended by senior officials from the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The launch marks the successful completion of the first phase of a cross-border QR payment linkage between India and Cambodia through Cambodia’s national QR code system, KHQR.
Under the first phase, Indian visitors can use UPI-enabled payment applications to make payments at millions of merchant locations across Cambodia. The initiative is expected to improve payment convenience for travellers while strengthening digital financial connectivity between the two countries.
The second phase of the project will establish a fully two-way payment corridor, allowing Cambodian citizens to use their domestic banking and digital payment applications to make payments at UPI QR code merchants across India.
Key Highlights
- NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and ACLEDA Bank Plc. have launched UPI acceptance in Cambodia.
- The service operates through KHQR, Cambodia’s national QR code system under the Bakong payment network.
- Indian travellers can now make QR-code-based payments at more than 4.5 million merchant locations in Cambodia.
- The launch marks the completion of Phase 1 of the India-Cambodia cross-border payment linkage.
- Phase 2 will enable Cambodian travellers to make payments across India using their domestic payment applications.
- Cambodia has become the ninth country where UPI is accepted for payments.
Launch of the First Phase of Cross-Border Payments
The partnership between NIPL and ACLEDA Bank introduces UPI payment acceptance across Cambodia, making digital transactions easier for Indian travellers visiting the country.
The launch event in Phnom Penh was attended by H.E. Dr Chea Serey, Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia, along with senior representatives from the Reserve Bank of India. The event marked the operationalisation of the first phase of the cross-border QR payment linkage between the two nations.
Through this arrangement, Indian users can scan KHQR-enabled merchant QR codes using their existing UPI applications and complete transactions seamlessly. The facility is available at over 4.5 million merchant outlets across Cambodia.
Towards a Two-Way Payment Corridor
While the first phase focuses on enabling payments for Indian travellers in Cambodia, the broader objective is to establish a fully interoperable payment network between the two countries.
In the next phase, Cambodian citizens travelling to India will be able to use their domestic banking and digital payment applications to scan UPI QR codes and make payments directly. This will create a two-way payment corridor connecting India’s UPI network with Cambodia’s Bakong-KHQR ecosystem.
The development is expected to strengthen financial connectivity, facilitate tourism, and support cross-border commerce between the two countries.
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The Strategic Impact: Driving Tourism and Digital Efficiency
The cross-border payment linkage is expected to provide several practical benefits for travellers, businesses, and the broader economy.
For travelers, the system reduces dependence on cash and minimizes the need for currency exchange. Users can make payments directly through familiar digital payment applications, improving convenience during international travel.
For Cambodian merchants, access to Indian visitors through digital payments can support business activity and potentially increase transaction volumes. The system also helps reduce the costs and operational challenges associated with handling cash.
The real-time digital payment infrastructure can further improve transaction efficiency, transparency, and payment security for merchants and consumers alike.
UPI Coverage around the World
With the addition of Cambodia, UPI is now accepted in nine countries. Before Cambodia, UPI payment services were available in Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, and Sri Lanka.
The continued international expansion of UPI reflects India’s growing role in digital payment innovation and cross-border financial connectivity. The integration with Cambodia’s national QR payment infrastructure is another step toward expanding interoperable digital payment networks across countries.
Source: Ministry of Finance
