Kyrgyzstan has launched international QR payments through Alipay+, allowing users of the national Elkart payment system to pay for purchases abroad through a mobile app without relying on cash or foreign payment apps.
The launch of the project was announced by the Interbank Processing Center, operator of the national payment system Elkart, with support from the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan.
According to the payment operator, the system is already functioning in Kazakhstan and Malaysia, while another 57 countries are expected to join the network within the next month. China is also scheduled to connect to the platform on June 15, enabling Kyrgyz users to pay through a unified QR infrastructure at millions of retail locations.
“For Kyrgyzstan, this is a historic event and another important step in the development of the country’s digital financial ecosystem,” Elkart said in a statement.
National Bank Chairman Almaz Baketaev described the launch of international QR payments as part of a national strategy to digitalize the financial market.
“The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan places special emphasis on implementing modern digital solutions that simplify the integration of our financial system into the global space,” Baketaev said during a press conference in Bishkek.
Authorities and market participants expect the new system to simplify payments for tourists, labor migrants, and businesses amid Kyrgyzstan’s expanding economic ties with China and other Asian countries.
Integration of the payment systems began in September last year. Representatives of the processing center said the technical integration was completed in a relatively short period of time.
Over the past five years, Kyrgyzstan has actively developed its digital financial infrastructure. According to the National Bank, more than 114,000 QR codes have already been installed at retail and service businesses across the country.
In 2025, approximately 525 million transactions worth around $10.3 billion were processed through the national system, roughly ten times higher in transaction volume than the previous year.
