Background
As the country’s monetary authority, the National Bank of Cambodia hosted a formal launch of cross-border QR payment connectivity with India on 2 June 2026 in Phnom Penh. The event included senior representation from the Indian Embassy and the Reserve Bank of India and was attended by roughly 190 stakeholders from government, banks, and the hospitality and retail sectors.
Phase I enables Indian users to scan KHQR codes at approximately 4.5 million merchant locations across Cambodia using their mobile banking applications. KHQR codes are merchant-presented scannable payment requests that can be completed through a customer’s mobile banking application to settle retail transactions.
Institutional Role
The National Bank of Cambodia led the initiative to connect Cambodia’s KHQR ecosystem with Indian mobile banking users, while representatives from the Reserve Bank of India and the Indian Embassy participated in the launch. Attendance by central bank officials and sector stakeholders indicates engagement across monetary authorities, commercial banks, and tourism-related businesses in both countries.
Operational Implications
Under Phase I, Indian travelers can use participating Indian banks’ mobile applications to scan KHQR merchant codes displayed at Cambodian businesses and complete payments for goods and services. The arrangement relies on merchant adoption of KHQR signage and interoperable mobile-banking QR scanning functions rather than requiring cash or card face-to-face processing.
Market Impact
The launch was announced amid a rise in Indian tourists to Cambodia and included attendance from Indian food court owners in the country. By extending retail payment acceptance to visitors using Indian mobile banking apps, the connectivity is positioned to streamline point-of-sale transactions at a large number of merchant locations nationwide.
Source
National Bank of Cambodia public statement and event posting (source: National Bank of Cambodia Facebook post).
