New Delhi: NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) -- the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) -- in partnership with ACLEDA Bank Plc., on Tuesday launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) acceptance in Cambodia through KHQR, the country’s national QR code system. 

The launch was marked by a formal ceremony in Phnom Penh attended by H.E. Dr. Chea Serey, Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), along with representatives from the Reserve Bank of India.

In addition, the initiative is the first phase of cross-border QR payment linkage between India and Cambodia, enabling Indian travellers to make seamless QR-based payments using UPI-enabled applications at over 4.5 million merchant outlets across Cambodia, including tourist attractions, restaurants and retail stores.

In the next phase, Cambodian visitors to India will be able to make payments at millions of UPI QR-enabled merchant locations across the country using their domestic banking or payment applications, creating a two-way interoperable payment corridor between the two nations.

NPCI International said the collaboration is aimed at delivering real-time, secure and interoperable digital transactions, improving payment efficiency and enhancing convenience for travellers while strengthening tourism and commercial ties between India and Cambodia.

In the first phase, Cambodian merchants are expected to gain access to a large base of Indian digital payment users, along with benefits such as improved cash management, reduced reliance on physical currency and greater operational efficiency.

Ritesh Shukla, MD & CEO, NPCI International, said the initiative marks a key milestone in the global expansion of India’s digital payment ecosystem.

“Enabling UPI acceptance in Cambodia is a significant step in this journey. It ensures Indian travellers get a familiar and seamless payment experience abroad, while Cambodian merchants gain access to millions of digital-first consumers,” he said.

ACLEDA Bank Plc. President and Group Managing Director Dr In Channy said the partnership reflects a major step in Cambodia’s digital transformation and cross-border payment interoperability efforts.

He said the integration helps remove transactional friction and foreign exchange challenges for travellers while enabling local merchants to access a wider digital market.