# MauCAS QR

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

Specifications:
- [MauCAS — Bank of Mauritius](https://www.bom.mu/maucas-0)
- [MauCAS QR code launch — BoM](https://www.bom.mu/maucasqrcode/bank-mauritius-launches-maucas-qr-code)

## Overview

**MauCAS** (Mauritius Central Automated Switch) is **Mauritius's central-bank-operated national payment switch + QR-payment standard**, launched **14 August 2019** by the **Bank of Mauritius (BoM)** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Mauritius report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/MU)</sup>. MauCAS is a **state-of-the-art digital hub fully owned and operated by the Bank of Mauritius** for routing payments among operators on **24x7 basis**. Built on **open standards** with **EMVCo-compliant universal QR code** support, MauCAS enables both **banks and non-bank operators** to provide transformative payment + value-added services through cards, mobile phones, and other innovative channels.

MauCAS is the underlying infrastructure layer beneath the consumer-facing [MIPS QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/mips-qr) payment platform and **pop** (Bank One's universal-payment-solution app launched **30 September 2019** in partnership with MIPS). The structural significance: MauCAS routes **all Mauritian retail payments — cards + mobile phones + QR — for settlement at the Bank of Mauritius** itself. This **central-bank-direct settlement** model is structurally similar to [Bakong](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/bakong) Cambodia and [MIA QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/mia-qr) Moldova. **Cross-border integration with India** extends MauCAS's reach to one of Mauritius's most important trade and remittance partners (Indo-Mauritian diaspora is ~70 % of Mauritian population). **AfricaNenda's instant-payment-systems map** identifies MauCAS as one of Africa's leading instant-payment infrastructures.

## History

**Background — Mauritian payment landscape pre-2019** <sup>[Mauritius report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/MU)</sup>:
- **Bank of Mauritius (BoM)** — central bank.
- ~10-15 commercial banks: MCB, SBM, Absa, HSBC, others.
- Pre-MauCAS: fragmented retail-payment routing.

**14 August 2019 — MauCAS launches** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:
- BoM Governor Yandraduth Googoolye delivers launch address.
- Operates **24×7** routing of payments.
- Built on **open standards**.
- **EMVCo-compliant** universal QR code support.

**30 September 2019 — Bank One pop launches on MauCAS** [[bank-one]]:
- Bank One launches pop as universal digital-payment solution.
- Partnership with [MIPS QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/mips-qr) for payment-platform layer.

**Subsequent integration expansion** [[platform-africa]]:
- **Peach Payments** integrates MauCAS for e-commerce online merchants (announced July 2025).
- Continued growth of acceptance ecosystem.

**Cross-border with India** <sup>[2][2]</sup>:
- MauCAS extends to cross-border payments.

## Technical specification

MauCAS is **Bank-of-Mauritius-operated national payment switch with EMVCo QR** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Operator** | **Bank of Mauritius (BoM)** — central bank direct |
| **Launch** | 14 August 2019 |
| **Function** | National payment switch routing cards + mobile + QR |
| **Settlement** | At Bank of Mauritius |
| **Currency** | MUR (Mauritian rupee) |
| **QR standard** | **EMVCo universal QR** |
| **Availability** | 24×7 |
| **Open standards** | Yes |
| **Participants** | All Mauritian banks + non-bank operators |
| **Cross-border** | India |
| **Consumer layer** | [MIPS QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/mips-qr) (MIPS) + pop (Bank One) |

**Central-bank-direct settlement** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:
- All retail payments routed for settlement at BoM.
- High-trust central-bank-money settlement vs commercial-bank-intermediated.

**Open-standards design** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:
- Enables non-bank operators to participate.
- Foundation for fintech innovation.

## Use cases

**Universal merchant QR payment** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: EMVCo-standard QR; any participant's customer can pay any merchant.

**Card payments routing** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: All Mauritian card transactions routed through MauCAS for settlement.

**Mobile-payment routing** <sup>[1][1]</sup>: Mobile-wallet payments (including [MIPS QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/mips-qr) pop) on MauCAS.

**24/7 instant transfers** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: Inter-bank instant transfers.

**Cross-border (India)** <sup>[2][2]</sup>: BHIM-UPI integration enables Indian-Mauritian payment corridor.

**E-commerce (Peach Payments integration)** [[platform-africa]]: Online merchant acceptance via Peach Payments + MauCAS.

## Implementations & ecosystem

**Operator**: **Bank of Mauritius (BoM)**.

**Consumer-facing layer**: [MIPS QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/mips-qr) (MIPS) + **pop** (Bank One).

**Participating banks** <sup>[Mauritius report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/MU)</sup>:
- **MCB** (Mauritius Commercial Bank, largest).
- **SBM Bank**.
- **Bank One** (first to launch pop on MauCAS).
- **Absa Bank Mauritius**.
- **HSBC Mauritius**.
- Others.

**E-commerce integration**: **Peach Payments** (July 2025+).

## Fun facts

- **Central-bank-direct settlement**: BoM directly settles all routed transactions — structurally similar to [Bakong](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/bakong) Cambodia (NBC direct) and [MIA QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/mia-qr) Moldova (NBM direct).
- **Open-standards-from-day-1**: MauCAS deliberately enables non-bank operator participation. Fintech-friendly central-bank infrastructure model.
- **24/7 from launch**: MauCAS designed for round-the-clock operation from day 1.
- **EMVCo universal QR**: Standard interoperable QR enables cross-bank/wallet acceptance.
- **India cross-border via BHIM-UPI**: Critical for Indo-Mauritian diaspora + bilateral trade. Mauritius's ~70 % Indian-descent population makes India-cross-border particularly important.
- **AfricaNenda map listing**: MauCAS recognized as among Africa's leading instant-payment infrastructures.
- **Bank One first-mover with pop**: A smaller bank (not the giant MCB) launched the first consumer-facing universal-payment app on MauCAS. Innovation often comes from challengers.
- **Peach Payments July 2025 integration**: Latest evolution — extending MauCAS to online-merchant ecosystem.

## Comparison

| Feature | MauCAS (MU) | [Bakong](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/bakong) (KH) | [MIA QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/mia-qr) (MD) | [FAST](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/fast) (SG) | [CENTROlink](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/centrolink) (LT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **BoM (central bank direct)** | NBC (central bank direct) | NBM (central bank direct) | SCHA (banks) | Bank of Lithuania |
| Launch | **14 Aug 2019** | Oct 2020 | Mar 2024 | Mar 2014 | ~2015 |
| Settlement | Central-bank-direct | Hyperledger Iroha DLT | NBM instant | MEPS+ | Central-bank money |
| QR standard | **EMVCo universal** | EMVCo (KHQR) | Unconfirmed | EMVCo (SGQR) | n/a |
| Non-bank operator access | **Open standards yes** | Yes | Yes | Yes (since 2020) | Yes (broad) |
| Cross-border | India | 6 countries | SEPA | TH, IN | EU SCT Inst |

## Status

**Active, foundational Mauritian payment infrastructure** <sup>[1][1], [2][2]</sup>:
- **BoM** operator since **14 August 2019**.
- **EMVCo universal QR** + 24×7 routing.
- **All Mauritian banks** + non-bank operators participating.
- **Consumer layer**: MIPS + pop.
- **India cross-border** integration.
- **Peach Payments** e-commerce integration (Jul 2025).

## Sources

[1]: https://www.bom.mu/maucas-0 "MauCAS — BoM"
[2]: https://www.bom.mu/maucasqrcode/bank-mauritius-launches-maucas-qr-code "MauCAS QR launch — BoM"
[3]: https://www.bis.org/review/r190816g.htm "Governor Yandraduth Googoolye launch address — BIS"
[bank-one]: https://mauritiusifc.mu/news/bank-one-launches-pop-first-and-only-universal-digital-payment-solution-in-mauritius "Bank One launches pop"
[platform-africa]: https://platformafrica.com/2025/07/14/peach-payments-integrates-maucas-to-empower-online-merchants-to-offer-a-range-of-payments-on-e-commerce-checkout/ "Peach Payments MauCAS integration"

- [1] [MauCAS — BoM][1]
- [2] [MauCAS QR launch — BoM][2]
- [3] [Governor's launch address — BIS Review][3]
- <sup>[Mauritius report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/MU)</sup> `reports/countries/MU-mauritius.md`

## Deployments

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

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