# $imple

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/imple
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-06
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Pagos QR BCB Bolivia](https://www.bcb.gob.bo/?q=pagos_qr_bcb_bolivia)

## Overview

**$imple** is the **Banco Central de Bolivia (BCB)'s interbank QR-payment product**, built on top of **QR BCB Bolivia** — the BCB-coordinated national interoperable QR-code payment standard launched **December 12, 2022** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Bolivia, Plurinational State of report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BO)</sup>. QR BCB Bolivia is **interoperable** — any user from any entity in the financial system (bank, cooperative, housing financial entity, development financial institution) can pay + collect using this instrument. By **2025**, **QR-payment volume grew 131% YoY** with **1,697 QR payments per minute / 28 transactions per second** — substantial growth + consolidation of digital-payment uptake in Bolivia.

The structural significance: BCB's coordinated approach — **QR BCB Bolivia national standard + $imple BCB interoperable product + OpenBCB free technological tool for institutional adoption** — represents **comprehensive BCB-led Bolivian payment-modernisation**. The **interoperability mandate across banks + cooperatives + housing financial entities + development financial institutions** is structurally important given Bolivia's diverse financial-system architecture. **OpenBCB platform** (announced October 2025) is **designed to facilitate adoption of electronic payment methods, especially in public and private institutions that haven't been able to automate their billing management** — financial-inclusion focus. The **131% YoY growth + 28 transactions/second** indicate **rapid adoption** trajectory.

## History

**Background — Bolivian payment landscape** <sup>[Bolivia, Plurinational State of report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BO)</sup>:
- **Banco Central de Bolivia (BCB)** — central bank.
- **ASFI** — financial-system regulator.
- Diverse financial-system architecture: banks, cooperatives, housing financial entities, development financial institutions.

**December 12, 2022 — BCB launches QR BCB Bolivia** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:
- National interoperable QR-payment standard.
- $imple as BCB's interoperable product.

**Interoperability across all financial entity types** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:
- Banks + cooperatives + housing + development financial institutions.

**2024-2025 — 131% YoY growth** <sup>[2][2]</sup>:
- 1,697 QR payments per minute.
- 28 transactions per second.

**October 2025 — OpenBCB platform announcement** [[mobiletime]]:
- Free technological tool for institutional adoption.

## Technical specification

$imple is **BCB-operated Bolivian interbank QR-payment product on QR BCB Bolivia standard** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Operator** | **Banco Central de Bolivia (BCB)** |
| **Underlying standard** | **QR BCB Bolivia** |
| **Currency** | BOB (Boliviano) |
| **Launch** | December 12, 2022 (QR BCB Bolivia) |
| **Interoperability scope** | **Banks + cooperatives + housing financial entities + development financial institutions** |
| **Growth (2025 YoY)** | **+131%** |
| **Transactions** | **1,697 QR payments per minute / 28 per second** |
| **Companion** | **OpenBCB** (free tool for institutional billing automation) |

## Use cases

**P2P QR-payments** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: Cardinal — cross-entity interoperability.

**Merchant QR-payments** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: Substantial growth.

**Cross-entity universal acceptance** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: Banks + cooperatives + housing + development financial institutions.

**Public + private institution billing automation (via OpenBCB)** [[mobiletime]]: Financial-inclusion focus.

**P2G payments** <sup>[Bolivia, Plurinational State of report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BO)</sup>: Government services.

## Implementations & ecosystem

**Operator**: **Banco Central de Bolivia (BCB)**.

**Underlying standard**: **QR BCB Bolivia**.

**Participating financial entity types**: Banks, cooperatives, housing financial entities, development financial institutions.

**Companion**: **OpenBCB** (institutional adoption tool).

## Fun facts

- **December 12, 2022 launch**: Recent in BO modernisation context.
- **131% YoY QR-payment growth (2025)**: Rapid adoption.
- **1,697 QR payments per minute / 28 per second**: High-frequency rail.
- **Multi-financial-entity-type interoperability**: Comprehensive design across BO financial-system diversity.
- **OpenBCB free institutional tool**: Financial-inclusion focus.
- **BCB-coordinated national standard**: Central-bank-led modernisation.
- **Companion to broader BCB digital-payment modernisation**: Comprehensive programme.

## Comparison

| Feature | $imple / QR BCB Bolivia (BO) | [Transferencias 3.0](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/transferencias-3-0) (AR) | Pix (BR) | [Transfiya](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/transfiya) (CO → Bre-B) | [Yape](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/yape) (PE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | BCB | BCRA + COELSA | BCB (Brazil) | ACH Colombia → Banco de la República | BCP (bank) |
| Type | **National interoperable QR + BCB product** | Instant interoperable QR | Instant payment | Instant transfer → National rail | Bank wallet |
| Launch | **Dec 12, 2022** | Nov 2021 | Nov 2020 | n/a → Sep 2025 (Bre-B) | 2016 |
| YoY growth | **+131%** | High | Massive | High | High |
| Interoperability | **Banks + coops + housing + development** | All banks | All banks | All banks | Yape + Plin |

## Status

**Active, rapidly growing** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:
- **BCB operator + QR BCB Bolivia standard**.
- **Since December 12, 2022**.
- **+131% YoY growth (2025)**.
- **OpenBCB October 2025 platform extension**.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.bcb.gob.bo/?q=content/el-bcb-lanza-el-qr-bcb-bolivia-para-desarrollar-e-implementar-un-sistema-de-pagos-moderno "BCB lanza QR BCB Bolivia"
[2]: https://www.asfi.gob.bo/sites/default/files/2025-07/El%20uso%20del%20QR%20ha%20dinamizado%20el%20sistema%20de%20pagos%20en%20Bolivia.pdf "QR uso BO — ASFI"
[3]: https://larazon.bo/economia-y-empresa/2026/05/17/pagos-con-qr-crecen-131-en-bolivia-y-consolidan-digitalizacion-financiera/ "Pagos QR +131% — La Razón"
[mobiletime]: https://mobiletime.la/noticias/20/10/2025/bolivia-lanza-openbcb/ "Bolivia OpenBCB — MobileTime"
[abi]: https://www.abi.bo/index.php/noticias/economia/31111-sistema-qr-bcb-bolivia-facilitara-las-transacciones-financieras-de-la-poblacion "QR BCB Bolivia financial inclusion — ABI"

- [1] [BCB lanza QR BCB Bolivia][1]
- [2] [QR uso BO — ASFI][2]
- [3] [Pagos QR +131% — La Razón][3]
- [mobiletime] [Bolivia OpenBCB — MobileTime][mobiletime]
- <sup>[Bolivia, Plurinational State of report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BO)</sup> `reports/countries/BO-bolivia.md`

## Deployments

Found in the following country reports (grep across `reports/countries/`):

- **BO** — [BO-bolivia.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/BO)