DILI, 11 May 2026 (TATOLI) — The Central Bank of Timor-Leste (BCTL) plans to launch a national digital payment system, Timor Unique QR (TUQR), in August 2026 as part of broader efforts to modernise the country’s payment infrastructure, expand cashless transactions, and reduce the circulation of counterfeit cash.
BCTL Governor Helder Lopes said the initiative aims to encourage a shift in public behaviour towards digital transactions, with mobile phone payments expected to become increasingly common in everyday life.
“In the future, people will pay using their phones or digital systems. As cash becomes less common, opportunities for counterfeiting will also decline because transactions will be fully electronic,” Helder said during TATOLI’s “Bainaka Kredivel” programme at the Faculty of Social and Political Science of the National Universiy of Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL) in Kaikoli on Thursday.
Helder said BCTL is currently discussing regulations with relevant ministries, including the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs (MKAE) and the Ministry of Finance (MF), to ensure smooth nationwide implementation.
The regulations will require businesses to provide customers with payment options, allowing both cash and digital transactions.
BCTL said TUQR will be introduced in phases, due to low digital literacy and limited internet access in rural and mountainous regions. “Digital payments require internet and telecommunications infrastructure. In some mountainous areas, internet access is still limited, and people are also not yet accustomed to using phones for digital transactions,” Helder said.
Priority sectors for early implementation include tourism, where cashless payments are already commonly used by foreigners. “Hotels and restaurants need to provide digital payment options because many tourists arrive without carrying cash,” he added.
TATOLI
