For many Malaysians, scanning a QR code to pay for food, coffee or groceries has become second nature. But that convenience does not always follow them overseas.
A trip abroad can still mean carrying extra cash, downloading unfamiliar payment apps or finding out that a small shop does not accept international cards.
Wise Malaysia is looking to make those situations easier with new overseas QR payment features and customisable eSIM plans, both available through the Wise app. The update comes ahead of the year-end travel season, when many Malaysians are planning holidays abroad.
91% of Malaysian Travellers Face Payment Difficulties Abroad
Despite the growing popularity of cashless payments, paying for everyday purchases overseas remains a challenge for many Malaysians.
A Wise-commissioned YouGov survey involving 14,000 travellers across 10 countries found that 61% had experienced payment difficulties while travelling.
The situation was particularly noticeable among Malaysian respondents.
According to the survey, 91% of Malaysian adults who travelled internationally in the previous 12 months encountered payment challenges, the highest level among the markets surveyed.
Another 73% reported missing out on local experiences because of payment barriers.
These situations can happen when visiting street food stalls, small markets or independent shops that mainly accept local QR payments.
For Malaysians accustomed to DuitNow QR, having to return to cash or register for another payment service can feel like an unnecessary hassle.
From DuitNow QR to Overseas QR Payments
At home, Malaysians can use DuitNow QR across participating banks and e-wallets. However, QR payment systems in other countries may operate differently.
Some require local bank accounts or mobile numbers, making them difficult for short-term visitors to access.
Wise is addressing this gap by allowing eligible customers to make QR payments through its app across supported overseas networks.
These include PayNow in Singapore, QR Ph in the Philippines, Swiss QR-bill in Switzerland and Qvik in Hungary.
Through its partnership with Alipay+, Wise also supports QR payments at participating merchants in destinations including the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, South Korea, Cambodia and Nepal.
Overall, Wise says its QR payment service covers more than 50 destinations.
For Malaysian travellers, this could make smaller everyday purchases more convenient, especially in places where international card acceptance is limited.
Actual payment availability still depends on the destination, merchant and supported QR network.
Wise eSIM Malaysia Offers More Flexible Travel Data
Besides payments, staying connected is another concern when travelling overseas.
Mobile data is needed for navigation, ride-hailing, hotel bookings and checking payment details. Yet choosing a roaming plan can be confusing, particularly for travellers visiting several destinations.
The new Wise eSIM Malaysia offering allows eligible users to purchase mobile data directly through the Wise app.
Instead of choosing only from fixed packages, travellers can customise their plans based on their trip.
They can select how much data they need and the number of days they plan to use it.
Wise also provides regional plans covering more than 150 destinations.
One useful feature is that the eSIM only needs to be installed once. Travellers can purchase new data plans for future trips without repeatedly installing another eSIM profile.
Wise says purchased plans that remain unused are eligible for refunds, offering flexibility when travel arrangements change.
The service activates when the eSIM connects to a supported network at the destination.
Making Travel Easier for Malaysians
Yen Ting Chiam, Malaysia Country Manager at Wise, said the new features are designed to address common frustrations faced by Malaysians overseas.
“Malaysians want to travel for authentic local experiences, but juggling different e-wallets or searching for a money changer just to pay a local street vendor is frustrating.”
She explained that combining global QR payments with a customisable eSIM would help travellers spend less time managing practical arrangements and more time enjoying their destinations.
Beyond these features, Wise also offers tools such as an international ATM locator, airport lounge passes and multi-currency bill splitting.
Together, these services reflect growing demand for simpler digital tools that support different parts of a trip.
What This Means for Malaysia’s Digital Payment Growth
Malaysia has made steady progress in encouraging cashless payments, with QR transactions becoming familiar across restaurants, retail outlets and smaller businesses.
The next challenge is making that convenience work beyond national borders.
Services that connect domestic and international QR payment networks could help Malaysian consumers use familiar payment methods while travelling.
There may also be wider benefits for tourism businesses across Asia.
When overseas visitors can pay smaller merchants more easily, local businesses may gain access to customers who would otherwise depend on cash or internationally accepted cards.
For Malaysia’s digital economy, developments like this show how cross-border payment connectivity is becoming an increasingly important part of everyday financial services.
A More Connected Travel Experience
As Malaysians become more comfortable with digital payments, expectations for overseas travel are changing too.
Wise’s latest features bring QR payments and mobile connectivity into one app, reducing the need to manage several separate services.
The real benefit will depend on how widely these payment networks are accepted and how reliably the services work abroad.
Still, the direction is clear. For Malaysian travellers, making a payment overseas may gradually become as familiar as scanning a DuitNow QR code back home.
