Kartu Kredit Indonesia: A Domestic, QRIS-Based Credit Alternative

On August 17, 2026, Bank Indonesia and the Indonesian Payment System Association (ASPI) launched Kartu Kredit Indonesia (KKI) for the general public. The instrument still provides deferred payment like a conventional credit card, but authorization and processing take place through domestic infrastructure. At launch, transactions were conducted through QRIS Scan and QRIS Tap, making the customer’s smartphone and bank application the primary interface [1].

The eight initial issuers are banking companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange:

1. PT Bank Central Asia Tbk. (BBCA)

2. PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk. (BMRI)

3. PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. (BBNI)

4. PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. (BBRI)

5. PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk. (BNGA)

6. PT Bank Permata Tbk. (BNLI)

7. PT Bank Mega Tbk. (MEGA)

8. PT Bank Syariah Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. (BRIS) through a sharia-compliant financing structure

Product availability and application procedures differ by bank.

From government cards to a retail product

KKI did not begin from a blank sheet. Its foundation was established through the Domestic Government Credit Card, launched on August 29, 2022, and implemented from September 1, 2022. BNI, BRI, and Bank Mandiri initially provided credit facilities for central and regional government purchases through the QRIS and GPN (National Payment Gateway) ecosystem. The arrangement sought to reduce cash usage, improve spending accountability, mitigate cash-related fraud, and give small businesses wider access to government expenditure [2].

The 2026 retail launch brings the same domestic-processing principle to consumers and corporations. The product format, however, is still evolving. Retail KKI is currently offered primarily as a virtual credit card inside an issuer’s app. As physical issuance is not yet widespread and initial usage focuses on QRIS, KKI does not currently provide ATM cash withdrawals. Future development is expected to include offline payments and transactions using physical cards [3].

Kartu Kredit Indonesia versus Visa dan Mastercard

The main differences concern the processing network, geographic reach, and cost structure. KKI targets domestic transactions processed through GPN and accepted through QRIS. Visa and Mastercard support cross-border purchases, global e-commerce, and ATM withdrawals. KKI is therefore a domestic complement rather than a substitute for an international card when travelling or paying in foreign currencies.

Feature	KKI	Visa and Mastercard
Coverage	Domestic through QRIS/GPN	Domestic and international
Current format	Virtual card in an app	Physical and digital cards
Cash withdrawal	Not yet available at ATMs	Generally available
Merchant cost	QRIS MDR of 0%–0,7%	Acquirer-dependent; around 1%–3%

KKI’s annual fees also tend to be lower than those of Visa and Mastercard within their respective issuer networks. BCA KKI lists no annual fee; BNI waives the first year and the second year if the cardholder transacted in the prior year; BRI lists a first-year waiver followed by an annual fee of IDR 250,000 [4]. Through the end of 2026, the minimum payment is 5% of the bill, while the late-payment penalty is capped at 1% and no more than IDR 100,000 [5].

QRIS Integration: A Central Advantage, not a Monopoly

KKI’s principal design advantage is that its credit facility functions as a native QRIS funding source. A customer scans the merchant code and selects KKI within the issuer’s application, without requiring a dedicated card-network terminal. This connects a credit product to QRIS’s broad acceptance network.

However, it would be inaccurate to claim that Visa and Mastercard cards can never fund QRIS payments. Since 13 March 2026, BNI has allowed an active credit card to become a primary funding source when customers pay through QRIS in wondr, while retaining the option to switch back to a savings account [6]. International cards can therefore connect to QRIS at selected banks. The distinction is that such integration depends on each issuer’s policy, whereas KKI was designed from inception as a domestic, QRIS-based credit scheme.

QRIS is not owned by one commercial company. It is a national standard established by Bank Indonesia and developed with the industry through ASPI. Domestic switching institutions support processing, while reconciliation, clearing, settlement, and related services operate within the national retail-payment infrastructure [7]. KKI is therefore also a tool for strengthening domestic processing efficiency and data sovereignty.

The Revised QRIS Merchant Fee

KKI’s launch was accompanied by a broader QRIS Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) policy. From October 1st, 2026, zero MDR applies to transactions of up to IDR 100,000 across all merchant categories. Micro merchants retain zero MDR up to IDR 500,000 and pay 0.3% above that threshold. Small, medium, and large merchants pay 0.7% when a transaction exceeds IDR 100,000 [8]. Merchants bear the MDR and may not pass it on to consumers.

For illustration, BCA’s published regular merchant tariff lists a 2% MDR for Visa and Mastercard [9]. On an IDR 1 million purchase, 2% equals IDR 20,000, while the 0.7% QRIS rate equals IDR 7,000. The difference is IDR 13,000 per transaction. Nevertheless, 2% is not a universal international-card tariff: the actual charge can vary by acquirer, business category, transaction volume, and negotiated merchant terms.

Potential Savings—and Their Limits

Indonesia recorded IDR 454.82 trillion in credit-card transactions in 2024. ASPI’s chairman expects KKI to shift approximately 10% of conventional credit-card volume [10, 11]. If about IDR 45.5 trillion moves to KKI and the MDR difference is assumed at 1.3 percentage points, merchants could save approximately Rp591 billion per year on an illustrative basis. The actual outcome will depend on transaction values, merchant mix, bank promotions, and the rates each merchant previously paid.

Merchant savings are not identical to foreign-exchange savings. Part of an international card’s MDR remains with Indonesian issuers and acquirers. Only network, licensing, and processing payments remitted to foreign principals generate a direct FX outflow. Because these commercial arrangements are not public, FX benefits should be expressed as scenarios rather than official estimates. Assuming an overseas component of 0.1%–0.3% of shifted transactions gives an indicative range of roughly IDR 45–136 billion per year.

KKI’s strategic value comes from combining credit, QRIS acceptance, lower merchant charges, and domestic processing. Its next challenges are broader issuance, consistent user experience, physical and online functionality, and sound credit risk management. KKI and international cards will therefore coexist: KKI for domestic efficiency, and Visa or Mastercard for global flexibility.

References

[1] Bank Indonesia. Kartu Kredit Indonesia dan Kebijakan MDR 0%: Sinergi dan Inovasi Perkuat Ekonomi Keuangan Digital Indonesia. 17 August 2026. https://www.bi.go.id/id/publikasi/ruang-media/news-release/Pages/sp_2815926.aspx

[2] Bank Indonesia. Inisiasi Kartu Kredit Pemerintah Domestik untuk Tingkatkan Efisiensi Transaksi Pemerintah. 29 August 2022. https://www.bi.go.id/id/publikasi/ruang-media/news-release/Pages/sp_2423122.aspx

[3] ANTARA. BI meluncurkan Kartu Kredit Indonesia untuk segmen masyarakat umum. 17 August 2026. https://jogja.antaranews.com/berita/848428/bi-meluncurkan-kartu-kredit-indonesia-untuk-segmen-masyarakat-umum

[4] BCA; BNI; BRI. Official KKI product and fee information. 2026. https://www.bca.co.id/en/Individu/produk/Kartu-Kredit/kartu-kredit-indonesia; https://bniexperience.bni.co.id/promo/detail/apply-bni-kartu-kredit-indonesia-nikmati-kemudahan-dan-benefit-di-setiap-transaksi-umdbrh; https://kartukredit.bri.co.id/web/kartukredit/services?lang=id&service=630

[5] Bank Indonesia and KSSK. Credit-card policy and payment-system measures. 3 August 2026. https://www.bi.go.id/id/publikasi/ruang-media/news-release/Pages/Rapat-Berkala-KSSK-III-2026.aspx

[6] BNI. Sekarang Bayar QRIS di wondr Lebih Praktis, Kartu Kredit Jadi Sumber Dana Utama. 17 March 2026. https://www.bni.co.id/id-id/beranda/kabar-bni/tips-edukasi/articleid/26244

[7] Bank Indonesia. QRIS and national retail-payment infrastructure. 2026. https://www.bi.go.id/id/fungsi-utama/sistem-pembayaran/ritel/kanal-layanan/qris/default.aspx; https://www.bi.go.id/id/fungsi-utama/sistem-pembayaran/ritel/infrastruktur/default.aspx

[8] Bank Indonesia. Kartu Kredit Indonesia dan Kebijakan MDR 0%; MDR QRIS Bagi Merchant. 2025-2026. https://www.bi.go.id/id/publikasi/ruang-media/news-release/Pages/sp_2815926.aspx; https://www.bi.go.id/id/publikasi/ruang-media/cerita-bi/Pages/mdr-qris.aspx

[9] BCA. Aplikasi Merchant BCA: Tarif MDR. 2026. https://www.bca.co.id/id/bisnis/produk/penerimaan-bisnis/merchant-bca

[10] Kontan. Pertumbuhan Kartu Kredit Melandai pada 2025, Perbankan Andalkan Inovasi Digital. 17 February 2026. https://keuangan.kontan.co.id/news/pertumbuhan-kartu-kredit-melandai-pada-2025-perbankan-andalkan-inovasi-digital

[11] DealStreetAsia. Bank Indonesia launches domestic credit card; puts Visa, Mastercard on notice. 18 August 2026. https://www.dealstreetasia.com/stories/bank-indonesia-domestic-credit-card-492423

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