Dushanbe:Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan have reached a preliminary agreement to integrate their instant payment systems, aiming to facilitate transactions for citizens across the region.

According to 24.kg News Agency, the five countries will establish a joint working group to create a model enabling payments via QR codes using familiar banking apps for citizens visiting any of the participating republics.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan reached this agreement during a meeting of their central banks' representatives in Dushanbe. The proposed system aims to enhance trade and increase tourist flows between the countries.

The joint working group will include bank and payment system operators from the five nations, focusing on harmonizing payment message exchange formats, payment details structures, and security requirements. Their efforts will culminate in a roadmap for phased implementation of the integration initiative.

Kyrgyzstan was represented at the Dushanbe meeting by a National Bank delegation led by Board Member Sanzhar Abdygaziev. The Kyrgyz representatives shared insights on the country's payment infrastructure, including the unified national QR code standard (ELQR), cross-border payment services, and transaction security measures.