Taipei, Taiwan — The continued development of Asia’s digital economy demonstrates that financial connectivity is no longer solely about enabling faster and more convenient transactions. As cross-border digital activities continue to expand, the next challenge is to build an ecosystem in which trust can also extend across jurisdictions.
This perspective was among the key messages presented by the Indonesian Fintech Association (AFTECH) at FinTechON 2026 & AFA Summit in Taipei, Taiwan. Representing AFTECH, Vice Chairman I Marshall Pribadishared Indonesia’s perspective on how fintech innovation can evolve from domestic scale towards broader regional collaboration.
AFTECH’s participation also reflects its continued efforts to strengthen the connectivity of Indonesia’s fintech industry with the regional ecosystem and to contribute to discussions on the future of an increasingly integrated digital financial landscape.
One of the key developments in Indonesia’s payment system transformation has been the introduction and expansion of the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS). The development of QRIS demonstrates that scaling a digital payment ecosystem depends not only on technology, but also on common standards that enable different participants within the ecosystem to connect and interact effectively.
Interoperability has become an important foundation of this development. Through widely adopted standards, consumers and businesses can benefit from a more seamless payment experience, while service providers are able to operate within a more integrated ecosystem.
The development of cross-border payments is taking this principle to a broader level. As payment systems across different countries become increasingly connected, interoperability can facilitate more convenient transactions while supporting greater regional economic activity.
However, payment connectivity represents only one part of the journey towards a truly connected regional digital financial ecosystem.
As transactions become increasingly seamless across national borders, a more fundamental question emerges: Can digital trust move across borders just as effectively?
Every digital financial transaction and service relies on a foundation of trust—from how an individual’s identity is verified and how financial service providers authenticate their customers, to how electronic consent, documents, and signatures are recognized as valid and trustworthy.
In a cross-border environment, these challenges become more complex. Each jurisdiction may have different regulatory frameworks, digital identity standards, electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) requirements, and provisions governing electronic signatures.
For this reason, the development of regional financial connectivity needs to advance beyond payment interoperability towards trust interoperability.
This means that the ecosystem requires not only systems that can connect technically, but also frameworks that allow digital verification and trust mechanisms established in one jurisdiction to be recognized and accepted in another.
AFTECH believes that strengthening mutual recognition of e-KYC processes and electronic signatures can be an important step towards building a more integrated regional digital financial ecosystem.
Mutual recognition does not necessarily require every country to adopt identical systems or regulations. Rather, it requires the development of standards and principles that can be recognized across jurisdictions, supported by clear governance frameworks and well-defined responsibilities among relevant stakeholders.
Such an approach could create greater opportunities for digital financial service providers to develop cross-border services more efficiently, while continuing to uphold security, regulatory compliance, consumer protection, and financial system integrity.
For the fintech industry, interoperability of digital trust could also provide an important foundation for new forms of regional collaboration. When digital identities and trust mechanisms can be recognized across jurisdictions, processes such as customer onboarding, verification, and access to cross-border financial services have the potential to become more seamless for both consumers and businesses.
Digital transformation has moved the financial industry from predominantly domestic services towards an ecosystem that is increasingly interconnected across the region. The next stage of this transformation will require closer collaboration among regulators, industry associations, financial service providers, technology companies, and other stakeholders across jurisdictions.
The progress of payment interoperability demonstrates that connectivity can be strengthened when technology is supported by common standards, robust governance, and strong stakeholder collaboration. The same principles can provide a foundation for advancing interoperability in digital trust.
Through its participation in FinTechON 2026 & AFA Summit, AFTECH continues to strengthen the involvement of Indonesia’s fintech industry in regional discussions and promote collaboration that can contribute to the growth of the region’s digital economy.
Looking ahead, regional connectivity will be determined not only by how seamlessly payments can move across borders, but also by the extent to which digital trust can be established, recognized, and applied across jurisdictions.
From payment interoperability to trust interoperability, regional collaboration will be essential to building a digital financial ecosystem that is more secure, efficient, inclusive, and connected.
