Cambodia has become the ninth country to accept UPI payments, after NPCI International Payments Limited and ACLEDA Bank Plc. launched UPI acceptance through KHQR, Cambodia’s national QR code.
The launch marks the first phase of a cross-border QR payment linkage between India and Cambodia.
It will allow Indian travellers to make UPI-based QR payments at over 4.5 million merchants in Cambodia.
The facility went live after a formal ceremony in Phnom Penh attended by Chea Serey, Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia, along with senior representatives from the Reserve Bank of India.
In a statement on Wednesday, 3 June, the Ministry of Finance said the first phase prioritises incoming Indian travellers, while the partnership is designed to scale into a fully bi-directional payment corridor in the next phase.
Once the next phase is implemented, Cambodian citizens visiting India will be able to use their domestic banking and digital payment applications to scan UPI QR codes across India.
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The payment linkage is expected to make transactions easier for Indian visitors by reducing the need for physical currency exchange, carrying large amounts of cash, or navigating unfamiliar foreign exchange charges.
It is also expected to help Cambodian merchants by giving them access to Indian travellers using familiar digital payment platforms, while improving cash management and enabling secure real-time transaction settlements.
UPI is already accepted in Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar and Sri Lanka.
With Cambodia joining the list, UPI is now accepted in nine countries, marking another step in the international expansion of India’s digital payments system.
