India-Cambodia UPI Link Launched for Seamless Tourist Payments

Indian travellers visiting Cambodia can now make payments using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) at more than 4.5 million merchant locations across the country, following the launch of a cross-border QR payment linkage between India and Cambodia.

The service has been launched by NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), in partnership with ACLEDA Bank Plc. It enables Indian users to scan Cambodia's national QR code system, KHQR, through UPI-enabled apps and make payments at tourist attractions, restaurants, retail stores and other businesses.

The launch was formally announced at an event in Phnom Penh attended by representatives of the National Bank of Cambodia and the Reserve Bank of India.

First phase of India-Cambodia payment link

Under the first phase, Indian travellers can use their existing UPI apps to make real-time QR code payments across Cambodia's KHQR network.

According to NIPL, the initiative is designed to provide a secure and seamless payment experience for Indian visitors while reducing the need to carry cash or exchange currency for everyday transactions.

The partnership also gives Cambodian merchants access to a large base of Indian consumers and is expected to improve payment efficiency and cash management for businesses.

Two-way payment system planned

The second phase of the project will allow Cambodian travellers visiting India to make payments at UPI-enabled merchant locations using their Cambodian banking and payment applications.

Once implemented, the arrangement will create a two-way interoperable payment corridor between India and Cambodia, enabling travellers from both countries to use their domestic payment apps abroad.

Boost for tourism and trade

NIPL said the initiative is expected to strengthen tourism and commercial ties between the two countries by making cross-border transactions simpler and more convenient.

Ritesh Shukla, Managing Director and CEO of NPCI International, said the launch marked an important step in expanding India's digital payment infrastructure globally.

"Enabling UPI acceptance in Cambodia marks a significant milestone in this journey. It ensures that Indian travellers enjoy a familiar, secure and seamless payment experience abroad, while Cambodian merchants gain access to millions of digital-first consumers," he said.

Dr. In Channy, President and Group Managing Director of ACLEDA Bank Plc., said the integration would help reduce transaction friction and foreign exchange challenges for travellers while giving local merchants access to a wider customer base through real-time digital payments.

The development adds Cambodia to the growing list of international destinations where Indian travellers can use UPI for everyday purchases, reflecting the expanding global reach of India's digital payments ecosystem.