Indonesia · 6 min read
What QRIS is, which gateways support it, what a foreign-owned PT PMA needs to sign up, and how to combine QRIS with cards for international guests.
By Chris ·
International guests in Bali pay by card. Indonesian customers, whether domestic travellers or Jakarta clients, are more likely to pay by QRIS, bank transfer or an e-wallet. A website that only takes one of those leaves bookings on the table, or sends them to WhatsApp and a bank slip.
What QRIS is
QRIS (Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard) is Indonesia’s national QR payment standard, developed by Bank Indonesia and the Indonesian Payment System Association and launched in 2019. One QRIS code can be paid from any participating banking app or e-wallet, so customers do not need to have the same provider as you.
On a website it works like any QR payment: the customer chooses QRIS, scans the code with their app, approves, and the gateway confirms the payment to your site.
Gateways that support it
- Xendit is licensed by Bank Indonesia as a payment gateway and offers QRIS alongside virtual accounts, e-wallets and cards. Its documentation lists settlement for QRIS in working days, so check timings against your cash flow.
- Midtrans is one of the longest-established gateways in Indonesia and also supports QRIS, cards, bank transfers and e-wallets.
Pricing, settlement and terms change, so compare current figures with each provider directly.
What a PT PMA needs
Indonesian gateways onboard registered businesses. Xendit’s documentation says only business entities can be onboarded as foreign businesses in Indonesia, and its document list for a PT, CV or PMA includes the director’s identity (a passport can substitute for an Indonesian ID card), the director’s and company’s tax numbers, the business identification number (NIB) and the company deeds. Additional licences can be requested depending on the business and the verification results.
In practice that means the entity taking payment needs to be properly set up first, with a website or social presence that shows what it sells. If you are not sure which entity should take the money, ask your notary or accountant before you build the payment step.
Designing the payment step for both audiences
- Show prices in rupiah. Add an approximate conversion for visitors if it helps, labelled as approximate.
- Offer card and QRIS side by side, clearly labelled, with bank transfer or e-wallets where your customers use them.
- Work on the phone in the customer’s hand. Many customers will be paying on the same phone that shows the QR code, so let them save it or open their app without losing the page.
- Confirm instantly by page and email, and notify your team on WhatsApp or by email when a payment lands.
Deposits and WhatsApp
Most Bali villa and retreat bookings still involve a WhatsApp conversation. That is fine. The website’s job is to make the deposit easy once the conversation is done: a payment link that the guest can pay by card or QRIS, tied to the booking, so nobody is chasing transfer slips.
Data protection
Indonesia’s Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 27 of 2022) applies to the customer details your site collects. A hosted checkout keeps payment data with the gateway. Collect only what the booking needs, explain why, and ask separately before sending marketing messages.
Checklist
- A properly registered entity and the documents your gateway asks for
- Prices in IDR, with any conversion labelled as approximate
- Card and QRIS offered together
- A phone-friendly QR step and instant confirmation
- Payment links for deposits agreed on WhatsApp
More on building for Bali and Jakarta and on direct bookings for villas. Or tell us about your business.
