The Paradox of Digital Payment Transformation: A Critical Synthesis of QRIS Adoption and Structural Barriers among Indonesian MSMEs

Abstract

The rapid expansion of the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) has accelerated digital payment adoption among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia. However, existing studies have largely emphasized the economic benefits of QRIS while overlooking the structural barriers that constrain inclusive digital transformation. This study critically synthesizes the opportunities and challenges of QRIS implementation and develops a conceptual understanding of the structural factors influencing MSME digitalization. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted by analyzing peer-reviewed journal articles, government reports, and institutional publications published between 2021 and 2026, retrieved from Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The selected literature was examined using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns related to operational efficiency, business performance, and structural constraints. The findings reveal that QRIS enhances transaction efficiency, financial transparency, and market expansion among MSMEs. Nevertheless, the review also uncovers a substantial deceleration in QRIS merchant growth, declining from 91.6% in 2022 to 13.3% in 2024, alongside persistent urban–rural digital disparities, limited digital literacy and cognitive readiness among micro-merchants, and increasing dependence on digital platform ecosystems. These findings demonstrate that successful digital payment transformation depends not only on technological adoption but also on institutional support, socio-economic readiness, and equitable digital infrastructure. This study contributes by extending the QRIS literature beyond its economic perspective and proposing a structural framework for understanding inclusive and sustainable digital financial transformation in emerging economies.