DANA eyes wider ASEAN reach with cross-border payment push

It is broadening merchant acceptance both online and at physical points of sale.

DANA Indonesia is expanding its regional footprint as the digital wallet seeks to scale payment connectivity between Indonesia and Singapore whilst strengthening its position in Southeast Asia’s fast-growing cross-border payment market.

The platform, which served more than 74 million users as of June, is broadening merchant acceptance both online and at physical points of sale, CEO and co-founder Vince Iswara told Asian Banking & Finance. 

He said cross-border payments in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have accelerated since Indonesia introduced its QRIS standard for overseas use in 2022. QRIS is now linked with Thailand’s PromptPay, Singapore’s NETS, Malaysia’s DuitNow and Japan’s JPQR Global, creating a wider network for interoperable scan-and-pay transactions.

“For DANA, momentum is clear,” he said in an emailed reply to questions. “We aim to provide a familiar scan-and-pay experience for Indonesians abroad, supported by the same protection and risk framework they rely on at home.”

Merchants across the region also gain easier access to Indonesian consumers through QR acceptance, he added.

DANA has been adding financial services to drive engagement, including whitelisted lending, insurance and investment products, with more offerings aimed at merchants.

“DANA’s advantage is our open platform ecosystem that allows us to connect with any merchant,” Iswara said, citing demand for offline payments, bill settlement, telecommunication data top-ups, investing, and insurance.

He said cross-border payments would become increasingly seamless as more partners join the network. Still, DANA views Indonesia as its main focus. “The opportunity for growth in the region’s largest market is still immense,” he said.
Iswara described Indonesia as being at a strategic inflection point in digital finance, driven by rapid adoption, supportive policy frameworks such as the central bank’s Payment System Blueprint, and rising financial inclusion across urban and rural areas.

DANA plans to widen its user base, deepen its merchant network and increase collaboration with financial institutions.

“Payments will continue to grow, and we will offer more financial services and merchant services on our platform,” Iswara said. “At the core, our commitment remains unchanged: to build an inclusive digital financial ecosystem and advance the financial well-being of Indonesians through safe technology.”