cash indonesian money qris

Bank Indonesia Urges Merchants to Welcome All Payment Options, Not Just QRIS

Share:

After the COVID-19 pandemic ended, non-cash transactions became more prevalent, and more merchants and small outlets were using Qris payments. Apparently, this has become a liability for some merchants who refuse cash payments.

This has invited pro and con responses on various social media. Some are in favour because Qris payment is more practical and does not require change, thus making cashiers more comfortable and shorter to serve buyers.

However, many are also against it, stating that paying with cash is still a habit of many people, especially the elderly or those who do not have adequate gadgets for digital payments.

Due to these pros and cons, Bank Indonesia has taken a firm stance.

Qris payment in Indonesia
Source: Xendit

Bank Indonesia (BI) prohibits merchants who are still caught refusing payments using cash or coins from their buyers and only provides digital payment options.

The board of governors of Bank Indonesia reiterated this prohibition because a number of shops or merchants still only allow customers to pay with QRIS or other digital payment tools.

Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor Doni Primanto Joewono conveyed this following the phenomenon of a number of merchants who only accept non-cash payments. Doni explained that this obligation is regulated in Law Number 7 Year 2011 on Currency.

Article 23 of the law states that everyone is prohibited from refusing to accept a rupiah intended as payment or settling transaction obligations in Indonesian territory.

“It is clearly stated that everyone is prohibited from refusing to accept rupiah as payment in the territory of the Republic of Indonesia. So, in principle, actually, cash and non-cash are ways of paying, still in the form of rupiah,” said Doni in a press conference on the results of the BI Board of Governors Meeting, Wednesday, October 16, 2024, as reported by Bisnis.com.

Doni ensured that BI continued to print the rupiah in cash, both on paper and metal. To date, the total Circulated Cartel Money (UYD) has grown 9.96% (yoy) to IDR 1,057.4 trillion.

“So we are still printing cash, and it is still growing. So, in order to help us, merchants are required to accept cash,” said Doni.

Find this article helpful? Check out more Indonesian Immigration updates from Social Expat:

SEO Writer

Imelda is a content writer specializing in viral news and Indonesian culture. Her work revolves around researching and analyzing current events, social media trends, and popular culture.

Related News

A resident in Bali has shared how her pet dog saved her life during the recent floods, waking her just as water was pouring into her bedroom. The heartfelt moment unfolded when President Prabowo Subianto visited flood-hit areas on the island, walking through narrow alleys and riverbanks to meet affected residents. In a video shared […]

Indonesia has taken a significant step in advancing its role within the global space industry with the successful launch of the Nusantara Lima Satellite (SNL). The satellite, developed by PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) in collaboration with Boeing Satellite Systems International Inc, lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States, on […]

Apple’s latest smartphone, the series, has officially received its Domestic Component Level (TKDN) certification from Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin), marking a crucial step towards its release in the country. The certification was issued on Thursday, 11 September 2025, and announced publicly the following day. “Four TKDN certificates have been issued for iPhone 17 products, […]

The Bali Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has reported that the death toll from severe flooding across the island has risen to 18 people, with five others still missing. The Bali floods, which struck Bali in the early hours of Wednesday, 10 September 2025, caused widespread damage and disruption across several regencies. “The total number […]

Indonesia Guide

Just For Fun

Write For Us

Exclusive Promotions

Event Gallery