The Chairman of the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan, Melis Turgunbaev, shared updates on the successful rollout of QR code payments in the country, writing about the progress on Facebook.
«Just five years ago, paying for goods and services via QR code in Kyrgyzstan seemed almost like science fiction. Stickers in cafés in the capital caused surprise, and small neighborhood shops did not have them at all. Today, QR codes have become so common that we no longer even notice how much they have simplified our lives.
The situation changed in 2019, when a unified national QR code standard — ELQR — was introduced. At first glance, it may have seemed like just another bureaucratic measure. But today we see that it was a systemic reform that connected all banks and payment services of the country into a single infrastructure,» he noted.
According to the bank, ELQR is one of the most successful digital reforms in Kyrgyzstan.
Since the connection of system participants in 2022:
- The number of QR transactions has increased 54.6 times;
- The total volume of payments has grown nearly 85 times.
In just the first six months of 2025, payments for 274.9 billion soms were made via QR. This is almost 20 times more than in the same period in 2024.
The head of the National Bank also stressed that before the introduction of unified standard, paying by QR was a challenge: different banks, different apps, and uncertainty over whether the transfer should be done via card or e-wallet.
«With the introduction of ELQR, all these problems disappeared. Now it doesn’t matter where you are — in Bishkek, Karakol, or Nookat — any QR code connected to the system works for any client of any bank. No extra steps, no need to link to a specific bank. It’s simple: point the camera — and pay,» Melis Turgunbaev summed up.
More than 80,000 QR codes have already been installed across Kyrgyzstan, including in the country’s smallest settlements.
