The launch of Bank Indonesia’s (BI) new QRIS Tap payment feature has marked another step forward in the country’s digital finance evolution. Yet for now, the service remains limited to Android users, leaving iPhone owners unable to experience the convenience QRIS Tap offers.
BI has confirmed that it plans to engage with Apple to address this limitation. According to Himawan Kusprianto, Deputy Director of the Payment System Policy Department at BI, discussions with the American tech company have not yet begun, but the central bank intends to initiate contact soon.
“We haven’t actually talked to Apple at all, so we’re just trying it out, just like [collaborating with] Saudi Arabia, we’re just trying it out,” said Himawan during Bank Indonesia’s Journalist Training event in Bukittinggi on Friday (October 24, 2025).
The central bank wants to explore whether Apple would be willing to open access to its Near Field Communication (NFC) feature, which is already built into its devices and would allow QRIS Tap to function on iPhones.
However, Apple’s global policy currently restricts full NFC access for local applications in Indonesia. This limitation prevents services like QRIS Tap from being used on iOS, despite the fact that Apple’s hardware is capable of supporting it.
“If we use OVO, Apple phones can actually do it too. That means they have NFC. However, Apple’s international policy hasn’t yet opened it to Indonesia,” Himawan explained.
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He believes that the successful rollout of QRIS Tap in the Android ecosystem could motivate Apple to reconsider its stance. The central bank views this as a potential turning point that could lead to broader accessibility for users across different platforms.
Himawan also highlighted that a large portion of Indonesia’s population uses Apple devices. This, he said, makes expanding QRIS Tap to iOS both necessary and beneficial for creating a more inclusive payment ecosystem.
“Kalau QRIS TAP sukses, sebagaimana halnya QRIS juga semakin masif, mungkin bisa juga menjadi insentif buat Apple untuk buka. Kalau tidak, bisa-bisa nanti semua pindah ke Android,” said Himawan.
As BI continues its push for digital inclusivity, its next move will likely depend on Apple’s response. For now, Android users enjoy early access to QRIS Tap, while iPhone users await their turn to join Indonesia’s growing cashless society.
