Digital payments have made shopping and paying for everyday things easier than ever, and at home, we rarely think twice about how we pay. But across borders, familiar payment methods may not always work as expected.
A card might be declined even when you have enough money in your account. Currency conversion fees can make purchases more expensive than expected, and in some countries, tourists may struggle to pay at local businesses because their banking apps don’t support the payment methods used there.
This can mean searching for an ATM, exchanging cash, or trying different payment methods just to pay for something as simple as lunch.
So why, in 2026, does paying abroad still feel harder than it should?
Creon, a fintech company with hands-on experience in building payment infrastructure and enabling cross-border payments for financial institutions, looks at why paying abroad can still be challenging and how cross-border QR payments can make the experience easier.
The Challenges of Paying Abroad
Over the past few years, countries around the world have developed their own digital payment systems, making everyday transactions faster and more convenient locally.
According to the European Central Bank, more than 80 countries have introduced domestic fast payment systems, with around 500 connections between them worldwide. However, these systems aren’t always compatible across borders, so a payment method that’s widely used in one country may not be available to visitors from another.
Poor Cross-Border Rails Connectivity
Sometimes, the problem isn’t the card or your balance, but the technology behind the payment.
According to BearingPoint’s Payments study, which surveyed more than 10,000 people, 49% of respondents said they experienced problems with digital payment methods frequently or occasionally. Among those who experienced issues, 57% cited technical difficulties.
One of the most common issues is that contactless payments don’t work everywhere. Services like Apple Pay and Google Pay, along with contactless bank cards, rely on compatible terminals, payment networks, and supported cards. If these aren’t compatible in the country you’re visiting, your payment may be declined.
Online payments can run into similar problems. Imagine you’re trying to book a hotel or buy tickets online, but the bank asks you to confirm the transaction through 3D Secure. The verification code should arrive by SMS or an automated phone call, but you’ve switched to a local SIM card or can’t receive messages while roaming. Without the code, the payment may not go through, even if there are sufficient funds in the account.
Currency Conversion Fees
Paying in a foreign currency can also make a purchase more expensive than expected. According to a recent survey, 34% of respondents said they had paid more than expected due to exchange rates, while 29% had encountered an unexpected foreign transaction fee.
Depending on the bank, card network, and currencies involved, a transaction may include additional fees or several conversion steps, such as local currency → USD or EUR → your card’s currency.
These costs aren’t always obvious upfront, which means the final amount charged to the account may be higher than you anticipated.
The Limits of International Cards
Even when an international card works for most everyday purchases, some services may still require a locally issued card. This can be an issue when booking accommodation, subscribing to online services, or making purchases on local platforms that don’t accept foreign cards.
The problem isn’t always related to whether a card is supported by the payment network. Some services have their own requirements for card issuing countries, which means travelers may need another payment method to complete a transaction.
The Growing Role of QR Payments
QR codes have become an increasingly popular way to pay, particularly in Asian markets. With scan-to-pay solutions, people can pay for groceries, restaurant meals, transport, and other everyday purchases by scanning a QR code instead of relying exclusively on bank cards.
India is one of the most striking examples of this shift towards QR payments. In FY2025, the number of UPI QR codes in India grew by 91.5% year-on-year, reaching 657.9 million, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India.
However, the growing popularity of QR payments doesn’t mean they work across borders. Many countries have built payment systems that work well at home, but aren’t always connected to those in other countries. This means tourists may still be unable to use local QR payments through their usual banking apps. For these systems to make a difference beyond their home markets, they need to be connected internationally, so people can use the payment methods they’re familiar with even when traveling abroad.
Can Tourists Pay Like Locals?
Some countries are already working to solve this problem by connecting their payment networks across borders.
For example, Thailand is developing its Pay Like a Local initiative, which allows visitors from China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and other supported markets to use their banking apps or e-wallets for scan-to-pay transactions at participating businesses across the country.
However, connecting payment systems across countries can take years. One example is Project Nexus, an initiative led by the Bank for International Settlements to connect national instant payment systems across multiple countries. Work began in 2021, the project reached a major design milestone in 2024, and a dedicated organization was established in 2025 to move towards implementation.
These projects require coordination between central banks, regulators, banks, and payment operators, as well as agreement on technical standards and operating rules. While this approach can establish connections across entire national payment systems, it also involves multiple stages of planning and coordination.
Still, these initiatives show what becomes possible when payment networks are connected: travelers can use familiar financial apps abroad instead of relying exclusively on cash, international cards, or a separate local wallet.
How Creon Helps Make Cross-Border QR Payments Possible
This is where payment infrastructure providers like Creon come in. According to Visa research, 77% of consumers surveyed worldwide use multiple methods for cross-border payments, while 66% are looking for a single provider they can rely on
Creon’s solution connects financial institutions with local QR payment systems, enabling customers to scan QR codes and pay abroad through their usual banking apps without having to download a separate local e-wallet.
For banks and other financial institutions, connecting to local payment networks through an infrastructure provider can help expand their payment offerings, improve the customer experience, and strengthen customer loyalty. It can also open up opportunities to generate additional revenue from cross-border transactions and reach customers in new markets without having to build every local connection from scratch.
Ultimately, cross-border QR payments make local payment methods more accessible to people visiting other countries, allowing them to pay more as the locals do. For banks, they offer a way to make existing services useful to customers even when they travel abroad.
The Future of International Payments
Digital payments have already made everyday transactions faster and more convenient. The next challenge is making that convenience work across borders, too.
As local QR payment networks continue to grow, connecting them will become increasingly important. This matters to travelers, financial institutions, businesses working with international customers, and people who live and work across different countries.
The goal isn’t to replace every existing payment method, but to make different systems work together. After all, when people travel, work abroad, or do business internationally, they shouldn’t have to spend time figuring out how to pay. They should be able to enjoy their trip, focus on their work, or simply go about their day without worrying about whether their payment will go through.
