Dushanbe:Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan have reached a preliminary agreement to integrate their instant payment systems, as reported by media outlets.

According to 24.kg News Agency, the five countries—Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—will establish a joint working group to develop a model that would enable their citizens to make payments using QR codes through familiar banking apps while visiting any participating republic.

The agreement was reached during a meeting of representatives from the central banks of these nations, held in Dushanbe. The proposed system aims to boost trade and increase tourist flows among the countries involved.

The joint working group will consist of representatives from the banks and operators of the five countries' national payment systems. Their focus will be on harmonizing payment message exchange formats, payment details structures, and security requirements. Ultimately, the group will produce a roadmap for the phased implementation of the integration initiative.

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