The internet has transitioned from a luxury to a vital tool for millions of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia, marking a shift from digital trial and error to a new era of economic growth.With over 43 million merchants connected to the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) payment system as of January, digitalization now defines the identity of today's tech-savvy market traders, moving beyond large corporations.
This figure is not just a statistic on paper. The fact that 93 percent of these QRIS merchants are MSMEs demonstrates that digital transformation is no longer a monopoly of large corporations in skyscrapers.
The dominance of MSMEs in this segment of the digital payment ecosystem signals a fundamental paradigm shift. QRIS has become the most effective bridge to financial inclusion in Indonesia's modern history. For traditional market traders or small-scale shop owners, QRIS is not just a sticker on their stall or counter but their first digital passbook that automatically, transparently and accountably records their transactions.
If 2020-2024 was known as the era of digital payment adoption or introduction, then 2026 will be a period of strategic deepening. The digitalization of MSMEs has moved up a level. Today, a shoemaker in Cibaduyut or a chip seller in Lampung no longer sits back and waits for buyers to come to their brick-and-mortar stores. They are actively seeking out customers through live streaming platforms.
