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

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.

Cross-border UPI acceptance in Cambodia expands QR payments and sets up a two-way India-Cambodia payment corridor. UPI acceptance has been launched in Cambodia through NPCI International and ACLEDA Bank Plc. using Bakong's KHQR, enabling Indian travellers to make QR-based payments at Cambodian merchants in the first phase. The arrangement is intended to expand into a two-way corridor, allowing Cambodian users to scan UPI QR codes in India and creating interoperable cross-border digital payments.