Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR)
Read more about a common QR Code that will accept e-payments by both domestic and international payment schemes, e-wallets, and banks. SGQR has been deployed throughout Singapore since 2018.
E-Payments
Learn more about the state of the electronic payments eco-system in Singapore, and MAS' strategies and initiatives to make Singapore an e-payments society.
Electronic payments (e-payments) have been around for many years, from the introduction of GIRO in 1984, to FAST and e-wallets for mobile phones today. E-payments are a convenient alternative to the use of cash and cheques as payment modes. They offer consumers a swift and efficient way to pay, and help businesses to enhance productivity.
As part of the Smart Nation vision to harness technology and improve people's lives, MAS seeks to create a Smart Financial Centre, where innovation is pervasive, and FinTech is used widely. E-payments are a key component of a Smart Financial Centre agenda. MAS' vision is to create an e-payments society, where not only convenience thrives, but also competition and innovation.
"Our vision is to make Singapore an electronic payments society ... An e-payments society will be inclusive, innovative, and perhaps, even inspiring."
Ravi Menon, Managing Director, Monetary Authority of Singapore
MAS has outlined our e-payments vision and our progress over the years. Key speeches include :
Key Speeches
- "An Electronic Payments Society" - Keynote Address by Mr Ravi Menon, Managing Director of MAS, at the Sim Kee Boon Institute Conference on FinTech and Financial Inclusion on 26 November 2016
- "E-Payments for Everyone" - Keynote Speech by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education and MAS' Board Member, at the 45th Annual Dinner of The Association of Banks in Singapore on 20 June 2018
- "E-Payments in Asia: Regulating Innovation and Innovative Regulation" - Keynote Address by Ms Jacqueline Loh, Deputy Managing Director of MAS, at the Central Bank Payments Conference on 26 June 2018
- "Completing the E-Payment Jigsaw" - Speech by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education and MAS' Board Member, at the SGQR Launch on 17 September 2018
Singapore Payments Roadmap
MAS formulates policies, develops strategies and infrastructure, and collaborates with the industry to ensure a competitive and innovative payments ecosystem that is safe and secure. MAS seeks to foster an inclusive e-payments society by making e-payments easy to use and accessible to everyone.
The Singapore Payments Roadmap (1.32 MB) is a collaborative effort by MAS and KPMG to study Singapore’s payment landscape. The study surveyed more than 2,500 stakeholders in Singapore’s payment ecosystem and internationally to understand the current state of how consumers and businesses make payments. The study identified key recommendations and strategies to promote e-payments in Singapore.
Building on the Singapore Payments Roadmap recommendations, MAS formed the Payments Council to drive the adoption of e-payments, and foster innovation and collaboration in the industry. The Payments Council is headed by MAS' Managing Director, Mr. Ravi Menon, and comprises leaders from banks, payment service providers, businesses, and trade associations.
Parliament passed the new Payment Services Act (PS Act) in January 2019 to unify and streamline the regulatory requirements for various payment services in Singapore, including e-payments. The PS Act adopts a modular and risk-focused approach to tailor MAS’ rules according the scope and risks of each payment service. This gives MAS the flexibility to respond quickly to the fast changing payments landscape, and preserves stability while facilitating the innovation and growth of e-payments in Singapore.
Development Initiatives
What's New
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Consumer Price Developments in December 2019
This December 2019 report contains an update of the latest consumer price developments in Singapore, prepared by MAS and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
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Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam and the Monetary Authority of Singapore to Expand Cooperation
Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (AMBD) and MAS committed to new areas of cooperation, with the signing of an enhanced Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation.
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MAS alerts financial institutions to vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Operating System
MAS issued an advisory to alert financial institutions in Singapore of critical vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Windows Operating System. Financial institutions using the affected systems have to take immediate action to install the relevant patches. MAS will continue to work closely with financial institutions to ensure that IT systems in the financial sector are safeguarded.
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First civil penalty enforcement action for failure to disclose shareholding interests
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has imposed a civil penalty of $200,000 on Mr Lim Soon Fang for not disclosing changes in, and providing false information regarding his shareholding in Asia-Pacific Strategic Investments Limited (ASIL).
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MAS and ACRA Launch Variable Capital Companies Framework
MAS and the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority launched the Variable Capital Companies (VCC) framework today. The VCC is a new corporate structure that can be used for a wide range of investment funds and provides fund managers greater operational flexibility and cost savings.