Cambodia vs Saudi Arabia · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | Bakong | Sarie |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Payments | ✓ | — |
| Wallet Support | ✓ | — |
| 24/7 Availability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cross-Border | ✓ | — |
| ISO 20022 | — | ✓ |
| Request to Pay | — | — |
| Open API | ◐ | ◐ |
| Alias/Proxy | ✓ | ✓ |
Cambodia's national payment platform launched by the National Bank of Cambodia in October 2020, built on a permissioned Hyperledger Iroha DLT with an integrated central-bank-issued digital tenge equivalent in both KHR and USD. Bakong enables 24/7 interbank fund transfers, QR-code retail payments via the KHQR standard, and P2P transfers. Notable for its dual-currency design (aimed at supporting the government's promotion of the riel in a heavily dollarised economy) and its extensive cross-border interoperability with Thailand's PromptPay, Laos' LAPNet, Vietnam's NAPAS and India's UPI.
Saudi Arabia's instant payment system launched by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) as part of the Vision 2030 digital transformation agenda. sarie (meaning "fast" in Arabic) enables 24/7 real-time transfers between banks and fintech providers via IBAN or mobile number, with settlement in seconds. Built on ISO 20022 messaging, it supports P2P, P2M, and bulk payments. The system is a key enabler of Saudi Arabia's goal to increase non-cash transactions to 70% by 2030.