Central Asia QR Payments: Banks Plan Integration With Azerbaijan

The central banks of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan have agreed to develop a mechanism for linking their national QR (quick response) code payment systems by the end of 2026, the National Bank of Kazakhstan said on October 29. The agreement was reached at the fourth regional meeting of central bank representatives, held in Tajikistan on October 22–23. Participants supported Kazakhstan’s proposed approach to linking the systems. According to the bank, integration would allow citizens of these countries to pay for goods and services by scanning QR codes through their own bank’s app while visiting other participating countries. Users would also be able to send and receive cross-border transfers in real time. At the meeting, Kazakhstan shared its experience with the Interbank Mobile Payment System, which supports transfers using phone numbers and QR code payments. Launched nationwide in July 2026, the system allows customers to pay through their own banking app even when a merchant uses a payment terminal provided by another bank. Under Kazakhstan’s domestic system, payments using the unified QR code are free for customers. Merchants pay a fee, but the charge for an interbank QR payment must not exceed the fee for an equivalent card payment. The regional meeting also covered cybersecurity and payment fraud. Kazakhstan proposed sharing information and coordinating approaches to regulating digital assets. In May 2026, Kyrgyzstan connected to the international Alipay+ payment network. According to the operator of the national Elkart payment system, the service was initially available in Kazakhstan and Malaysia, allowing users to make purchases through the Elkart Mobile app.