# MMQR

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

Specifications:
- [MMQR Code Specification — CBM](https://www.cbm.gov.mm/content/6775)
- [National Payment System — CBM](https://www.cbm.gov.mm/content/national-payment-system-myanmar)
- [MyanmarPay — Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyanmarPay)

## Overview

**MMQR** (Myanmar Quick Response), branded **MyanmarPay**, is **Myanmar's national standardised QR-code payment system**, introduced by the **Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM)** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>. The **MMQR Specification Version 1.0** was launched in **January 2019**, laying foundation for interoperability across Myanmar's payment ecosystem. In **2021, CBM selected Payplus as the digital-payment-switch operator for MyanmarPay**; implementation of the switch began in **2022**. The system is **EMVCo-standard-powered**, enabling seamless and secure payments through a single QR code across various banks and mobile financial-service providers.

MMQR is a key component of **Myanmar's National Payment System Strategy (2020-2025)** — aiming to foster digital banking, expand digital payments, and reduce cash reliance. The structural context is challenging: post-February-2021 military coup has affected Myanmar's broader economic and payment infrastructure, with international sanctions affecting some banking-system connectivity. MMQR continues to operate domestically, supporting interoperable acceptance across major Myanmar banks (KBZ Bank, Aya Bank, CB Bank, Yoma Bank, MAB Bank) and mobile-financial-services providers (KBZPay, Wave Money, OK Dollar, etc.).

## History

**January 2019 — MMQR Specification Version 1.0 launches** <sup>[2][2]</sup>:
- CBM publishes MMQR QR-code specification.
- Foundation for interoperable QR payments.

**February 2021 — Myanmar coup** <sup>[Myanmar report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/MM)</sup>:
- Military takeover affects broader economic context.
- Payment infrastructure continues operating domestically.

**2021 — CBM selects Payplus as switch operator** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- Payplus chosen as digital-payment-switch operator for MyanmarPay.

**2022 — Switch implementation begins** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- Payplus implementation of payment switch.
- Foundation for fully-interoperable QR payments.

**MMQR aligned with National Payment System Strategy 2020-2025** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- Component of broader CBM modernisation plan.

## Technical specification

MMQR is **CBM-coordinated EMVCo-compliant national QR standard** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Standards body** | **Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM)** |
| **Specification** | **MMQR Specification Version 1.0** (January 2019) |
| **EMVCo compliance** | Yes |
| **Switch operator** | **Payplus** (selected 2021) |
| **Currency** | MMK (Myanmar kyat) |
| **Brand** | **MyanmarPay** |
| **Participants** | Major Myanmar banks + MFS providers |

**Interoperability** <sup>[3][3]</sup>:
- Banks + mobile-financial-services providers participate.
- Single QR scannable by any participating customer.

## Use cases

**Merchant QR payments** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: Customer scans MMQR merchant QR; pays via any participating bank/MFS.

**Cross-bank/cross-MFS interop** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: Any KBZ Bank, Aya Bank, CB Bank, Yoma Bank customer can pay any MMQR merchant.

**Mobile-financial-services integration** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: KBZPay, Wave Money, OK Dollar — major Myanmar MFS providers — participate in MMQR.

**Cash-displacement** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: Strategic goal under National Payment System Strategy.

## Implementations & ecosystem

**Standards body**: **CBM**.

**Switch operator**: **Payplus**.

**Major Myanmar banks** <sup>[Myanmar report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/MM)</sup>:
- **KBZ Bank** (Kanbawza Bank, largest private).
- **Aya Bank**.
- **CB Bank** (Cooperative Bank).
- **Yoma Bank**.
- **MAB Bank**.

**Mobile-financial-services** <sup>[Myanmar report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/MM)</sup>:
- **KBZPay** (KBZ Bank's MFS).
- **Wave Money** (Telenor + Yoma).
- **OK Dollar**.

## Fun facts

- **January 2019 specification launch**: Pre-COVID + pre-2021-coup design. Myanmar started modernisation earlier than some peers.
- **2-year delay between specification + switch operator selection**: Spec launched January 2019; Payplus operator selected 2021. Reflects implementation-complexity + political-context impact.
- **Post-2021-coup continued operation**: Despite military takeover affecting broader Myanmar economic context, MMQR continued domestically — illustrates resilience of payment infrastructure.
- **EMVCo-compliant**: Standard interoperable design aligning with global QR-payment standards.
- **National Payment System Strategy 2020-2025**: MMQR is a key component of CBM's longer-term modernisation roadmap.
- **KBZPay + Wave Money + OK Dollar**: Myanmar's MFS ecosystem is unusually diverse for a small market — multiple competing MFS products integrating with MMQR.

## Comparison

| Feature | MMQR (MM) | [LankaQR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/lankaqr) (LK) | [Bangla QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/bangla-qr) (BD) | [EthSwitch QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/ethswitch-qr) (ET) | [PromptPay QR](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/promptpay-qr) (TH) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standards body | CBM | CBSL | Bangladesh Bank | EthSwitch (NBE) | NITMX/ITMX |
| Launch (spec) | Jan 2019 | Oct 2020 | Mar 2019 | Apr 2024 | 2017 |
| EMVCo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Switch operator | **Payplus (2021)** | LankaPay CEFTS | NPSB | EthSwitch | NITMX |
| Cross-border | Limited | Alipay+ | None major | None major | SG, MY, JP, VN, ID |

## Status

**Active, CBM-coordinated** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:
- **MMQR Specification Version 1.0** since January 2019.
- **Payplus switch operator** (2021).
- **Switch implementation** since 2022.
- **EMVCo-compliant**.
- **National Payment System Strategy 2020-2025** component.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.cbm.gov.mm/content/6775 "MMQR Code Specification — CBM"
[2]: https://www.cbm.gov.mm/content/national-payment-system-myanmar "National Payment System — CBM"
[3]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MyanmarPay "MyanmarPay — Wikipedia"

- [1] [MMQR Code Specification — CBM][1]
- [2] [National Payment System — CBM][2]
- [3] [MyanmarPay — Wikipedia][3]
- <sup>[Myanmar report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/MM)</sup> `reports/countries/MM-myanmar.md`

## Deployments

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

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