UPI Opens with Cambodia Cross Border, Nine Countries Now in Network

Ø Launch of the first phase paves the way for a two-way payment corridor between India and Cambodia

Key Highlights

· NPCI International Payments Limited, the international arm of National Payments Corporation of India, has partnered with ACLEDA Bank Plc. to launch UPI acceptance in Cambodia.

· The launch marks the completion of Phase 1 of a cross-border QR payment linkage between India and Cambodia.

· The system connects India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with Cambodia's national QR code infrastructure, KHQR, operating through Bakong.

· The launch ceremony was held in Phnom Penh and attended by:

o Chea Serey

o Representatives of the Reserve Bank of India

What Phase 1 Enables

· Indian travellers visiting Cambodia can now make seamless QR-code payments using UPI-enabled apps.

· Payments can be accepted at over 4.5 million merchants across Cambodia through the KHQR network.

· The facility eliminates the need for:

o Currency exchange.

o Carrying large amounts of cash.

o Managing foreign exchange complexities.

Future Phase: Two-Way Payment Corridor

· The current phase focuses on Indian travellers making payments in Cambodia.

· In the next phase:

o Cambodian citizens visiting India will be able to use their domestic banking and payment applications.

o They will be able to scan and pay through millions of UPI QR codes across India.

· This will create a fully interoperable two-way digital payment corridor between the two countries.

Key Benefits

For Travellers

· Convenient cashless payments.

· Faster and secure transactions.

· Reduced dependence on currency conversion.

For Cambodian Merchants

· Access to a large Indian tourist and business traveller base.

· Increased transaction volumes.

· Improved customer experience.

For Businesses

· Reduced cash handling costs.

· Real-time payment settlements.

· Better operational efficiency and transparency.

Strategic Significance

· Strengthens digital financial connectivity between India and Cambodia.

· Supports tourism, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

· Expands the global footprint of India's digital public infrastructure.

· Demonstrates growing international adoption of India's UPI ecosystem.

UPI's Global Expansion

With Cambodia joining the network, UPI is now accepted in nine countries:

1. Singapore

2. United Arab Emirates

3. France

4. Mauritius

5. Nepal

6. Bhutan

7. Qatar

8. Sri Lanka

9. Cambodia

Significance

The India–Cambodia UPI-KHQR linkage is a major step toward building seamless cross-border digital payment infrastructure. It enhances convenience for travellers, expands opportunities for merchants, strengthens bilateral economic ties, and further establishes UPI as a globally recognized payment platform.

[ABS News Service/04.06.2026]

NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has officially partnered with ACLEDA Bank Plc. to launch Unified Payments Interface (UPI) acceptance in Cambodia.

The breakthrough collaboration went live following a formal ceremony in Phnom Penh, attended by H.E. Dr. Chea Serey, Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), alongside high-level representatives from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The event marked the completion of Phase 1 in establishing a cross-border QR payment linkage between the two nations through Bakong’s KHQR, Cambodia’s national QR code.

The first phase enables millions of Indian travellers to make seamless QR payments at over 4.5 million Cambodian merchants, with a two-way corridor to follow. While the first phase prioritizes incoming Indian travellers, the partnership is explicitly designed to scale. In the subsequent phase, the corridor will become fully bi-directional. Cambodian citizens visiting India will soon be able to use their domestic banking and digital payment applications to scan millions of UPI QR codes throughout India, completing a highly advanced, two-way interoperable financial network through Bakong’s KHQR.

The Strategic Impact: Driving Tourism and Digital Efficiency

This digital payment corridor represents a major shift in how commerce operates between the two countries, delivering immediate benefits:

· Enhanced Traveler Convenience: Eliminates the friction of physical currency exchange, carrying large amounts of cash, or navigating unfamiliar foreign exchange fees.

· Economic Boost for Local Merchants: Cambodian businesses gain immediate access to a massive, tech-savvy Indian visitor demographic, driving higher transaction volumes.

· Operational Efficiency: Local merchants will experience optimized cash management, lowered overhead costs associated with physical cash handling, and secure, real-time transaction settlements.

UPI Coverage around the world

UPI is accepted in Eight countries - Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar and Sri Lanka - enabling Indian travellers to make seamless payments abroad through familiar platforms. Now, Cambodia is the ninth country joining the list.