QR Payment in Asia: PayNow, DuitNow and Beyond

QR payment in Asia works by having a customer scan a merchant's code with a banking or e-wallet app, which moves money directly with no card terminal. Every major market runs its own national standard, from PayNow in Singapore to DuitNow in Malaysia and PromptPay in Thailand, and a growing number of these are now linked so you can even pay across borders. The scale is huge. According to Digital in Asia, digital payment adoption across Southeast Asia grew from around US$600 billion in 2021 to over US$1 trillion by 2025. This guide explains the systems, the numbers, and how to use them.

What is QR payment and how does it work?

A QR payment links a customer's banking or e-wallet app to a merchant's account through a scannable code. The customer opens their app, scans the merchant code, checks the amount, and confirms. Money moves from their account to the merchant's, usually instantly, without cash or a card machine. Some codes are fixed to the merchant, while others include the exact amount for a specific sale.

The appeal is speed and low cost. There is no hardware to buy, fees are typically lower than card terminals, and settlement is fast. For a customer, it is just a scan and a tap.

How big is QR payment in Asia?

Enormous, and growing fast. Thailand's PromptPay alone has over 90 million registrations and processes more than 74 million transactions a day, as reported by Digital in Asia. Indonesia's QRIS recorded around 2.6 billion transactions in a single quarter of 2025, connecting roughly 40 million merchants.

The trajectory keeps climbing. QR payment values across the Asia-Pacific region are projected to reach around US$1.2 trillion by 2029, according to payment trend analysis from Antom. For merchants and shoppers alike, QR is no longer a novelty. It is how a large and rising share of the region pays.

What are the main QR payment systems by country?

Each country has a national QR standard, which is the key to why these systems work so smoothly. One merchant code accepts payments from many different banks and wallets. Here is the quick map:

• Singapore: PayNow for real-time transfers, and SGQR, the unified code that combines many schemes into one sticker.
• Malaysia: DuitNow QR, the national standard across banks and e-wallets.
• Thailand: PromptPay, used everywhere from street stalls to malls.
• Indonesia: QRIS, the single national standard connecting tens of millions of merchants.
• Philippines: GCash and the QR Ph interoperable standard.
• Vietnam: VietQR, the national interbank QR standard.

They all share the same idea. A national standard means a shopper does not need the same app as the merchant, just any participating bank or wallet. That interoperability is what makes QR feel seamless across the region, and it is why even the smallest stall can accept a wide range of customers.

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Can you pay across borders with QR?

Yes, and this is one of the most exciting shifts. Regulators have been linking these national systems so you can scan and pay in a neighbouring country using your home app. The PayNow-DuitNow link between Singapore and Malaysia launched in 2023, letting people scan merchant codes and transfer funds across the border, as announced by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, with daily limits commonly up to S$1,000 or MYR3,000.

The momentum is real. According to Digital in Asia, by December 2025 the region had 29 cross-border payment linkages processing 36.2 million transactions worth US$716.4 million, and Malaysia alone logged 11.8 million cross-border QR transactions in the first half of 2025, surpassing its total for all of 2024. Project Nexus, which connects India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, is set to widen this further. So a Singapore traveller can increasingly pay a Bangkok food stall by scanning, no currency exchange booth needed.

How do small businesses accept QR payments?

Register through your bank or a licensed e-wallet provider to get an official merchant QR linked to your account. A generic QR generator cannot route money, so this step is essential. Once you have your code, display it clearly at the counter with a short label like "Scan to pay", and train staff to confirm each payment in the app before handing over goods.

Check with your provider for transaction fees and settlement times, since these vary by country and account type. QR payments are one of the cheapest ways for a small shop to take digital money, which is a big part of why adoption has been so fast. If you run a shop or stall, our guide on QR codes for small business covers the wider ways to use codes beyond payments, and our QR codes for restaurants guide is handy for food businesses.

Are QR payments safe?

Payments through official national schemes are secure, but the main risk is a tampered or swapped merchant code. Before you pay, check that the merchant name shown in your app matches the shop, and confirm the amount before you approve. Never pay a code that a stranger sends you unexpectedly, since that is a common scam.

For merchants, inspect your displayed code regularly to make sure nobody has covered it with a fake sticker, and verify that funds actually arrive after each sale. These simple checks keep both sides safe, and they take seconds.

What else do people ask?

What is PayNow and DuitNow?

PayNow is Singapore's national real-time payment service, letting people and businesses send money linked to a phone number, NRIC, or UEN, and it underpins the SGQR code standard. DuitNow is Malaysia's equivalent, a national QR standard that accepts payments from many banks and e-wallets through a single merchant code.

Can you pay from Singapore to Malaysia with QR?

Yes. The PayNow-DuitNow cross-border link launched in 2023 lets people scan and pay or transfer between the two countries using a phone number or virtual payment address. Daily limits apply, commonly up to S$1,000 or MYR3,000. It is one of a growing set of cross-border QR links across Southeast Asia.

Which country uses PromptPay?

PromptPay is Thailand's national real-time payment and QR system. It is used everywhere from street stalls to big retailers, with over 90 million registrations and more than 74 million transactions a day. It accounts for a large share of both e-commerce and in-store payment value in Thailand.

Are QR payments free for customers?

For customers, scanning to pay a merchant is usually free, and many person-to-person transfers are free too. Merchants may pay a small transaction fee depending on the country and provider, though it is generally lower than card terminal charges. Always check your provider's specific rates.

How do merchants get a payment QR code?

You register through your bank or a licensed e-wallet provider to receive an official merchant QR linked to your account. A generic QR generator cannot route money. Once you have your code, display it clearly at the counter and confirm each payment in your app before completing a sale.

Sources: Digital in Asia, How Digital Payments Work in Southeast Asia (digitalinasia.com/how-digital-payments-work-in-southeast-asia). Monetary Authority of Singapore, Launch of Cross-border QR Code Payments Connectivity between Singapore and Malaysia (mas.gov.sg). Antom, Southeast Asia Payment Trends 2026 (knowledge.antom.com/southeast-asia-payment-trends-2026).

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