Electronic payments are everywhere in Indonesia and Bali! How to pay? A complete guide to QRIS and GoPay e-wallets

Still carrying a thick stack of Indonesian rupiah every day when traveling to Bali?

Now in Indonesia, especially Bali, more and more restaurants, cafes, spas, tourist attractions, shops, and even street vendors are adopting electronic payments. Some places will even tell you directly:

‘Cashless Only’

Meaning: Only cashless electronic payments are accepted, no cash!

If it’s your first time in Bali, you can easily run into the awkward situation of ‘having money but being unable to pay.’

And the most important keyword for electronic payments in Indonesia is:

🇮🇩 QRIS

With the addition of e-wallets like GoPay, traveling in Bali now allows you to significantly reduce the need to carry large amounts of cash.

This article has it all covered for you: What is QRIS? How can foreign tourists use it? How to register for GoPay? How can travelers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia make payments?

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🇮🇩 What is QRIS? Why Are QR Codes Everywhere in Bali?

QRIS stands for Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard, which can be simply understood as Indonesia’s unified QR Code payment standard.

In Indonesia, you can find QRIS QR codes at restaurants, cafes, convenience stores, spas, small shops, tourist attractions, and even street stalls.

As long as your payment app supports QRIS, you can scan the merchant’s QR code, enter the amount, and complete the payment.

Bank Indonesia states that QRIS is widely used across all provinces and cities in Indonesia, including micro-enterprises and tourist destinations.

So in Bali, you’ll see:

Scan QRIS / QRIS / QRIS Payment

Basically, it’s telling you:

📱 “You can pay by scanning a QR Code!”

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💡 So, how exactly can foreign tourists use QRIS?

This is the part that confuses most first-time visitors to Bali.

Because:

“QRIS is accepted” ≠ “Any country’s credit card can directly scan QRIS.”

Indonesia has now launched QRIS Cross-Border, allowing travelers from select partner countries to use their own payment apps to scan and pay via QRIS in Indonesia.

Currently, Bank Indonesia has partnered with:

🇹🇭 Thailand 🇲🇾 Malaysia 🇸🇬 Singapore 🇯🇵 Japan 🇰🇷 South Korea 🇨🇳 China

QR cross-border payment cooperation is being established in the market.

In other words, travelers of different nationalities do not use it in exactly the same way.

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🇸🇬 Travelers from Singapore: Can Use QRIS Cross-Border Directly

If you’re traveling from Singapore to Bali, using QRIS is relatively convenient.

Currently, Bank Indonesia lists the following participating payment service providers from Singapore:

• OCBC
• UOB
• DBS

Travelers from Singapore can use supported payment apps to scan Indonesian merchants’ QRIS codes directly.

When making a payment, enter the amount in Indonesian Rupiah. The app will convert it to your local currency based on the system rate. After confirming, enter your PIN to complete the transaction.

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🇲🇾 Travelers from Malaysia: DuitNow QR and QRIS Are Now Interoperable

Travelers from Malaysia also have it very convenient.

Indonesia’s QRIS and Malaysia’s DuitNow QR have established a cross-border payment connection.

PayNet also explains that when Malaysian travelers visit Indonesia, they can directly use supported mobile banking apps to scan QRIS for payment.

Currently, Bank Indonesia lists relevant Malaysian payment service providers including CIMB, Hong Leong Bank, Maybank, Public Bank, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, BigPay, and others.

So if you’re already used to using mobile payments in Malaysia, you don’t necessarily need to prepare a lot of extra cash when traveling to Bali.

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🇹🇼 What about travelers from Taiwan and 🇭🇰 Hong Kong?

This is something you need to pay special attention to.

Currently, Taiwan and Hong Kong are not included in the QRIS Cross-Border cooperation market list designated by Bank Indonesia.

Therefore, general banking apps or local payment apps from Taiwan or Hong Kong cannot simply scan and pay via QRIS just because they see the QR code.

However, this does not mean that travelers from Taiwan and Hong Kong cannot use QRIS at all.

For now, the most practical approach is:

📱 GoPay + Visa/Mastercard

GoPay now supports linking Visa or Mastercard credit/debit cards within the GoPay app, allowing you to use those cards as the payment source for QRIS transactions.

In other words:

Travelers from Taiwan and Hong Kong → GoPay → Link Visa/Mastercard → Scan QRIS

is a viable option worth exploring.

However, there is one very important limitation here:

⚠️ GoPay Credit/Debit Card Payments via QRIS Are Not Unlimited

According to GoPay’s official guidelines, when using a credit or debit card to pay via QRIS:

• Supports Visa and Mastercard
• Must be done within the GoPay App
• The traveler scans the merchant’s QRIS code themselves
• Currently, card payments via QRIS must be under Rp250,000
• Merchants scanning the QR Code on your phone is not supported for this card payment method
• Some transactions may require entering a CVV or OTP.

So for higher-value expenses like hotels, spas, or restaurants, do not rely solely on ‘GoPay linked to a credit card’ as your only payment method.

It’s best to prepare:

💳 Physical credit card 💰 A small amount of cash 📱 GoPay / other e-wallets

A combination of all three.

❓ Can AlipayHK scan QRIS for payment?

AlipayHK currently cannot make direct payments at merchants in Bali (Indonesia).

You can transfer money from AlipayHK to GoPay, then use GoPay’s QRIS to make purchases.

Only Alipay Mainland (China version) supports Indonesia’s QRIS payment system.

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🇮🇩 GoPay for Bali Travel: Recommended

If you’re the type who:

✔️ Used to mobile payments ✔️ Don’t want to carry a huge stack of Indonesian rupiah every day ✔️ Frequently visit restaurants, cafés, and spas ✔️ Love surfing, yoga, and fitness ✔️ Prefer not to leave large amounts of cash in the hotel or safe

Then GoPay can be one of your payment tools for traveling in Bali.

And GoPay’s uses go beyond just scanning QRIS.

iOS Download | Android Download

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📱 How to Register for GoPay?

To use GoPay, you first need to create an account.

You’ll generally need:

Phone number + Email

Once registered, you can start using the app’s features.

If you only need to make simple payments, the verification level required for your account may differ from what’s needed for transfers or cash withdrawals.

To upgrade to GoPay Plus, GoPay officially allows foreign nationals to use their PASSPORT as an identification document for the upgrade verification process.

So for foreign travelers, your passport is essential.

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💳 Can GoPay be linked to a Taiwanese credit/debit card?

This is a top concern for many Taiwanese travelers.

GoPay currently supports adding credit/debit cards within the app, with official support for:

Visa / Mastercard

When adding a card, you’ll typically need to enter card details and may need to complete verification via your bank’s OTP or 3D Secure.

Once linked, you can select your credit/debit card as a payment source within the GoPay app.

🇹🇼 Special Notes for Travelers from Taiwan

Different banks and card types in Taiwan may have different settings for overseas online transactions, so:

“Being able to add a card” and “being able to successfully complete payment” are two different things.

Before traveling abroad, it’s recommended to confirm:

• Whether overseas transactions are enabled
• Whether online transactions are supported
• Whether you can receive OTP
• Whether the card is Visa or Mastercard
• Whether the issuing bank has any overseas transaction restrictions

Additionally, GoPay currently has a limited-time promotion for Visa cards.

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🎁 2026 Visa × GoPay QRIS Fee-Free Promotion

Visa and GoPay are currently running a promotion:

July 1, 2026 – September 30, 2026

When you pay with QRIS using a Visa credit or debit card linked to the GoPay app, you can enjoy up to 10 fee-free transactions per card per month.

And this applies to each linked Visa card individually.

So if you’re heading to Bali in September 2026, keep an eye out for this offer.

However, this is a limited-time promotion, so it’s best to double-check the latest terms directly in the GoPay app before your trip.

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📲 How to Pay with QRIS at a Store?

It’s actually very simple.

Once you see the QRIS code:

Step 1

Open the GoPay app.

Step 2

Tap on QRIS.

Step 3

Scan the store’s QRIS code.

Step 4

Enter the amount to pay.

Step 5

Confirm the payment method.

If using a linked Visa or Mastercard, select that credit or debit card.

Step 6

Complete the OTP/CVV/PIN verification as prompted by the app.

Once done, the payment is successful.

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💰 GoPay Cash Top-Up: If you don’t want to carry cash all the time, here’s what you can do

This is where GoPay becomes especially useful for travelers.

Let’s say you exchanged a larger amount of Indonesian Rupiah:

💵 Exchanged a big stack of cash ↓ 📱 Deposit into GoPay ↓ 🍜 Pay for meals, SPA, coffee, and shopping with QRIS ↓ 💰 No need to carry large amounts of cash everywhere every day

For those who plan to:

🏄‍♂️ Surf 🧘‍♀️ Yoga 🏋️ Work out 💆‍♀️ SPA 🏝️ Beach activities

it also reduces the need to stash large sums of cash in hotel rooms, backpacks, or lockers.

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🏪 Top Up GoPay at Alfamart or Indomaret Too

If you have Indonesian Rupiah cash on hand, you can also top up your GoPay at convenience stores.

GoPay currently offers top-up services at:

• Alfamart
• Indomaret

and other retail outlets for top-ups.

The process usually goes like this:

GoPay App → Top Up → Select Convenience Store → Generate Barcode/Code → Pay at the Counter

Minimum amounts and fees may vary by outlet, so always follow what the app shows when you actually do it.

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💵 You Can Also Withdraw Cash from GoPay!

If you really need cash, you don’t have to take it all out at once.

GoPay Plus users can withdraw their GoPay balance at select ATMs or convenience stores.

GoPay’s official cash withdrawal channels currently include some of the following:

• BCA ATM
• BRI ATM
• BJB ATM
• BSI ATM
• CIMB Niaga ATM
• Indomaret
• Alfamart
• Alfamidi
• Dan+Dan
• Lawson

and so on.

So you can adopt the approach:

Take only what you need → Withdraw only that amount

instead of carrying a large sum of cash with you every day.

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💰 What is the GoPay Plus Limit?

According to the current GoPay official explanation:

Regular GoPay

Maximum balance:

Rp2,000,000

GoPay Plus

Maximum Balance:

Rp20,000,000

Additionally, the monthly cumulative inflow limit for GoPay Plus is Rp40,000,000.

So if you plan to use GoPay extensively during your trip or need a higher balance, be mindful of your account verification status and limits.

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🌏 Payment Methods in Bali by Traveler’s Country

Traveler	QRIS Cross-Border	Recommended Payment Method
🇸🇬 Singapore	✅ Supported	Scan QRIS directly with participating bank/payment apps
🇲🇾 Malaysia	✅ Supported	Banks/e-wallets supporting DuitNow QR
🇹🇭 Thailand	✅ Supported	Payment apps supporting PromptPay
🇯🇵 Japan	✅ Supported	Payment apps supporting QRIS Cross-Border
🇰🇷 South Korea	✅ Cross-border QR payment connection established	Use participating payment services
🇨🇳 China	✅ Cross-border QR payment connection established	Use participating payment services
🇹🇼 Taiwan	⚠️ Not currently a QRIS Cross-Border partner market	GoPay / Visa / Mastercard + Cash / Physical card
🇭🇰 Hong Kong	⚠️ Not currently a QRIS Cross-Border partner market (AlipayHK cannot scan QRIS directly)	GoPay / Visa / Mastercard, AlipayHK transfer to GoPay + Cash / Physical card

Bank Indonesia’s QRIS Cross-Border is continuously expanding its partner markets, so the actual supported countries and participating payment apps may be updated.

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⚠️ Traveling to Bali: Don’t Rely Solely on QRIS for Payments

Although QRIS is becoming more widespread, I still wouldn’t recommend traveling to Bali without carrying any cash.

The reason is simple:

Some places might:

❌ Not have QRIS ❌ Have a temporarily broken QRIS system ❌ Have poor internet connection ❌ Only accept cash ❌ Only accept physical credit cards ❌ Have a QRIS transaction limit that exceeds your current payment tool’s cap

Cash is still very handy, especially at small vendors, in remote areas, at traditional markets, or for special events.

So, a more ideal approach is:

📱 Digital Payments

Use at restaurants, cafes, spas, shops, and some attractions.

💳 Credit Cards

Hotels, department stores, larger restaurants, etc.

💵 Cash

For tips, small vendors, traditional markets, transportation, and when electronic payments aren’t accepted.

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🇮🇩 Bali Cashless Travel: The Most Practical Way to Prepare

If it’s your first time in Bali, here’s a simple rule to remember:

① First, get a Visa or Mastercard ready

↓

② Install a compatible payment app on your phone

↓

③ Travelers from Taiwan/Hong Kong can look into using GoPay + Visa/Mastercard

↓

④ Travelers from Singapore/Malaysia can check if their bank or payment app supports QRIS Cross-Border

↓

⑤ When you see QRIS in Bali, you can scan and pay using your preferred method

↓

⑥ Still keep a small amount of Indonesian Rupiah cash on hand

That way, you won’t have to carry a thick stack of cash every day while exploring.

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💚 Bottom Line: When visiting Bali, you still need cash, but you don’t need to bring a huge wad of it.

Payment methods in Bali are changing rapidly.

In the past, the first thing everyone did when arriving in Bali was usually:

“Where can I exchange for Indonesian Rupiah?”

Now it has become:

“Can I use a credit card here? Can I use QRIS?”

Especially now that QRIS has become a very popular electronic payment standard in Indonesia, and with QRIS Cross-Border expanding, travelers from Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries can even scan and pay directly using their local supported payment apps.

For travelers from Taiwan and Hong Kong, options like GoPay + Visa/Mastercard are worth considering, but you need to pay special attention to current transaction limits and fee rules.

So the most practical payment strategy in Bali isn’t “carrying no cash at all,” but rather:

💳 Credit Card + 📱 E-Payment + 💵 Small Amount of Cash

A combination of these three methods.

This way, you won’t panic when you see ‘Cashless Only,’ and you won’t feel awkward at shops that only accept cash.

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📌 Quick Tips

GoPay account limits, QRIS card payment rules, fees, convenience store services, and promotional offers are all subject to change.

Before you go, please refer to the GoPay App, official GoPay announcements, and your card issuer’s latest terms.

In particular, the Visa × GoPay ‘10 transactions per card per month with no Admin Fee’ promotion is currently valid only until September 30, 2026.

For more Bali travel guides, accommodations, transportation, attractions, and the latest travel info, stay tuned to Bali Travel Guide gobaligo.id.

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