Indonesia’s central bank is awaiting a decision from Apple regarding the compatibility of its new QRIS Tap payment feature with iPhones. Bank Indonesia (BI) explained that the limitation stems from Apple’s current restrictions on opening access to Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to third parties.
iPhone users will require to be patient, according to BI Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta, as NFC access on Apple devices is currently reserved for Apple Pay. “For QRIS users with iPhones, please bear with us. Currently, Apple has not opened up its NFC feature. It is only open for Apple Pay,” Hendarta stated during a February 2026 press conference following a meeting of the BI Board of Governors.
Discussions Underway with Apple
BI has been in communication with both Apple Indonesia and Apple headquarters regarding the possibility of opening NFC access to support QRIS Tap.
“Apple Indonesia and its headquarters have come to us and are exploring the QRIS Tap feature to see the possibility of opening its NFC feature, as they have already done in the European Union,” Hendarta said.
However, there is currently no confirmed timeline for when QRIS Tap will be available on iPhone devices.
QRIS Tap represents an evolution of the existing QRIS payment system, which previously relied on scanning QR codes.
Unlike conventional QRIS, QRIS Tap leverages NFC technology, enabling transactions by simply bringing a mobile phone close to a reader.
Users simply open a payment application that supports QRIS, select the QRIS Tap method, and then tap their phone to the NFC terminal. The transaction is processed in real time without the need for visual QR code scanning.
Currently, QRIS Tap is only available on Android phones with active NFC features and supporting payment applications.
Transaction Volume Continues to Rise
Despite its limited availability on iPhones, BI reports that QRIS Tap usage continues to increase, particularly in the transportation, hotel, and restaurant sectors.
Filianingsih noted that QRIS Tap has processed over 475,000 transactions, representing a month-over-month growth rate of approximately 7.9 percent.
Transaction values totaled around Rp 4.6 billion, growing 6.4 percent month-over-month.
“The nominal value is also increasing, growing 6.4 percent month to month, or around Rp 4.6 billion,” she added.
QRIS Tap was developed as part of a broader strategy to digitize the national payment system. The feature aims to accelerate and simplify transactions, especially in high-frequency sectors such as public transportation, modern retail, hospitality, and restaurants.
While adoption continues to grow, expanding QRIS Tap usage within the iPhone ecosystem remains dependent on Apple’s policies regarding opening NFC access to third-party developers.
BI stated it will continue to coordinate with various stakeholders to expand the interoperability of the national digital payment system, including encouraging device support for QRIS Tap.
