Karvelo, Bank Nobu push QRIS adoption across three Bali regions

Denpasar — Karvelo, through PT Artha Jaya Wisata, collaborated with Bank Nationalnobu (Bank Nobu) and Bank Indonesia to promote QRIS digital payments among micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Bali, in a programme that ran from late June to late August 2026 and included the distribution of up to 300 QRIS Soundbox devices to traders in three regencies.

The initiative focused on traditional markets and business centres in Denpasar, Karangasem and Gianyar, combining public activations, education on non-cash payments and free QRIS equipment for merchants. According to coverage of the programme, activities were held between 22 June and 22 August 2026.

The programme’s organisers aimed to encourage traders who had relied on cash to adopt QRIS, using Soundbox devices so that merchants could receive audible payment confirmations without constantly checking their phones.

Programme activities across Bali

One public education event was the QRIS Bali Summer Run at Bajra Sandhi Field in Renon, Denpasar, held on 8 August 2026. Karvelo set up a booth at the event to demonstrate QRIS transactions directly to visitors, according to media reports.

The programme then moved to Bebandem Market in Karangasem through the Pasar Rakyat Bali Go Digital initiative. Bank Nobu, Bank Indonesia and Karvelo provided QRIS Soundbox devices to UMKM traders there, with the stated aim of supporting non-cash transactions and expanding QRIS use in the traditional market.

A similar activity took place at Sukawati Art Market in Gianyar as part of Baligivation, the Bali Digital Innovation Festival 2026. Reporting on the festival states that the programme at Sukawati included creating new QRIS codes for merchants and distributing Soundbox QRIS devices free of charge, with a total of up to 300 units allocated across the Bali programme.

Key figures and locations reported by local outlets include:

• Programme period: 22 June–22 August 2026
• Areas covered: Denpasar, Karangasem and Gianyar
• QRIS Soundbox distribution: Up to 300 units for traders in participating markets

Impact and wider context

Reports on the programme describe it as part of broader efforts by Bank Indonesia and partner banks to accelerate payment digitalisation among Bali’s UMKM and traditional market traders, in response to growing demand for cashless transactions including from tourists.

Regional coverage notes that QRIS adoption among Bali’s UMKM has been rising, supported by various educational activities, merchant onboarding campaigns and incentives such as temporary MDR 0% for certain transactions. However, the articles on the Karvelo–Bank Nobu initiative do not provide statistical before-and-after measurements for QRIS transaction volume, transaction value or changes in merchant income in the three programme locations.

Similarly, while the programme period is clearly stated as ending on 22 August 2026, available reports published in early September 2026 focus on documenting the completed activities and do not detail any extension of the specific collaboration or follow-up targets for merchant assistance beyond that date.

Sources

• JPNN - QRIS Diperluas, UMKM di Bali Didorong Beralih ke Transaksi Nontunai
• MPStore - QRIS Soundbox Gratis di Pasar Bali: Peluang Digitalisasi untuk Warung dan UMKM
• Infobanknews - Nobu Bank Perkuat Digitalisasi Pembayaran lewat Program BaliGivation
• Tribunnews - Digitalisasi Pembayaran UMKM Bali Meluas, QRIS Masuk Pasar Rakyat hingga Sentra Wisata
• tvOneNews - Ketika Pedagang Pasar Tradisional Bali Mulai Pakai QRIS, Ini Dampak QRIS bagi UMKM dan Ekonomi Daerah
• Pantau - Agar Transaksi Aman dan Efisien, BI Bali Perluas Digitalisasi Pembayaran di Nusa Tenggara
• Bali Post - Transaksi QRIS di Bali Capai Rp21,63 Triliun, Mulai 1 Oktober MDR 0 Persen Diberlakukan