UPI acceptance goes live in Cambodia via KHQR
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NPCI International Payments Limited and Cambodia’s ACLEDA Bank launched UPI acceptance in Cambodia on 3 June 2026 through KHQR, Cambodia’s national QR code on the Bakong system. Indian travellers can now pay at over 4.5 million Cambodian merchants. Cambodia is the ninth country to accept UPI; a two-way corridor will follow.
- Date
- 3 Jun 2026, Phnom Penh
- Partners
- NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL); ACLEDA Bank Plc
- QR system
- KHQR on Bakong (Cambodia’s national QR)
- Merchants
- over 4.5 million
- Phase 1
- Indian travellers pay in Cambodia
- Count
- ninth country accepting UPI
UPI in Cambodia: what happened?
Indians abroad usually carry cash or pay card fees. Linking UPI to a country’s national QR code lets them scan and pay as at home. Cambodia now joins that list.
- Phase 2 will let Cambodians in India pay at UPI QR codes using their own apps.
- The launch was attended by Cambodia’s central bank Governor and RBI representatives.
Where else is UPI accepted?
- Singapore, the UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar and Sri Lanka, as per the release. Cambodia is the ninth.
Why does UPI in Cambodia matter?
- Economy: Easier spending for Indian tourists; more business for Cambodian merchants.
- IR: India’s payments DPI spreads in South-East Asia.
What can Prelims ask on UPI in Cambodia?
- UPI in Cambodia via KHQR (Bakong), 3 Jun 2026; ninth country.
- NIPL is NPCI’s international arm.
How to use this in Mains
- As per PIB (2026-06-03): NIPL and ACLEDA Bank launched UPI acceptance in Cambodia through KHQR, Cambodia's national QR code, the first phase of a two-way corridor.
- India is taking its DPI to South-East Asia.
Quotable data pointNIPL and ACLEDA Bank launched UPI acceptance in Cambodia through KHQR, Cambodia's national QR code, the first phase of a two-way corridor.
PIB: Finance: UPI in Cambodia, 3 Jun 2026
Exam angle
Prelims: UPI abroad.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
KHQR, linked to UPI in June 2026, is the national QR code of
Answer (b) & explanation
PIB (Finance), 3 Jun 2026.
Questions students ask about this
How does UPI work in Cambodia?
Indian users scan Cambodia's national KHQR codes, linked through NIPL and ACLEDA Bank.
Is the link two-way?
Not yet. Phase 1 serves Indian travellers; Phase 2 will let Cambodians pay in India.
How many countries accept UPI now?
Nine, with Cambodia, as per the release.
Keep studying
Go deeper
Official source: PIB: Finance: UPI in Cambodia, 3 Jun 2026
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending