Taiwan vs Sweden · Real-time payment systems compared
| Capability | FISC | Swish |
|---|---|---|
| QR Code Payments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wallet Support | — | ✓ |
| 24/7 Availability | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cross-Border | ◐ | — |
| ISO 20022 | ◐ | ✓ |
| Request to Pay | — | ✓ |
| Open API | ◐ | ✓ |
| Alias/Proxy | ◐ | ✓ |
Taiwan's shared interbank real-time rail, operated by FISC (Financial Information Service Co.). Carries both institutional flows and consumer traffic β real-time transfers in every Taiwanese bank's mobile app, any-bank ATM withdrawals, and TWQR merchant payments. TWQR is FISC's national interoperable QR-code standard (launched 2019), used by consumer wallets Line Pay Money, JKO Pay, iPass Money and Pi ζι’ε . Live 24/7 since 1991, connecting 107 institutions, handling TWD plus five foreign currencies (USD, RMB, JPY, EUR, AUD). Settles through the CBC's RTGS.
Sweden's dominant mobile payment app used by 8M+ people (in a country of 10.5M) for P2P transfers, in-store payments, and e-commerce. Swish transactions clear through the Bankgirot Immediate Payments (BIR) real-time clearing system. Founded by six major Swedish banks, Swish has been a key driver of Sweden's shift toward a nearly cashless society. Payments are initiated via phone number and settle instantly, with merchant payments supported via QR codes and Swish for Business.