DuitNow QR vs JomPAY: Which Should You Use to Pay Your Bills in Malaysia?

DuitNow QR and JomPAY are both built on Malaysia’s national payment infrastructure operated by PayNet, but they serve different purposes. JomPAY is purpose-built for recurring bill payments to registered billers, while DuitNow QR is a universal scan-and-pay method that covers merchants, vendors, and some billers. Choosing the right one depends on what you are paying, how quickly you need it cleared, and what records you need to keep.

For a broader look at how Malaysia’s open payment infrastructure fits together, see open finance in Malaysia.

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What is JomPAY?

JomPAY was launched in 2015 as a national bill payment scheme developed by PayNet, Bank Negara Malaysia, participating banks, and billers. It works through your bank’s internet or mobile banking app: you enter a Biller Code (a short number assigned to each registered biller), a Ref-1 account reference, and sometimes a Ref-2 sub-reference, then authorise the payment.

Key facts about JomPAY:

• Operated by PayNet under Bank Negara Malaysia oversight
• Available through all 41 participating banks and some e-wallets as of 2025 (source: PayNet)
• Biller codes are standardised nationally, so the same code works regardless of which bank you use
• Payments typically post within one business day, though many billers reflect them the same day
• Each transaction generates a unique JomPAY transaction reference number

Common billers covered: TNB (electricity), Syabas/Air Selangor (water), Indah Water, Telekom Malaysia, Maxis, Digi (postpaid), Unifi, Astro, PTPTN, LHDN income tax, local councils (PBT), insurance premiums, and car hire-purchase companies such as Toyota Capital.

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What is DuitNow QR?

DuitNow QR is Malaysia’s national QR payment standard, introduced in December 2018. It gives each merchant or individual a single QR code that any participating bank app or e-wallet can scan to initiate an instant payment. The funds transfer happens over DuitNow’s instant rails and typically arrives in seconds.

Key facts about DuitNow QR:

• Governed by PayNet under Bank Negara Malaysia
• Over 3 billion DuitNow QR transactions were processed in Malaysia in 2025, doubling from the year before (source: PayNet)
• For merchant payments the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) has been waived since 2019; banks including Maybank, CIMB and Public Bank have continued the waiver
• A RM 0.50 fee applies only to peer-to-peer transfers exceeding RM 5,000 between two personal QR codes, not to bill or merchant payments
• Transaction limits vary by bank and e-wallet; a common individual limit is RM 3,000 per transaction to a merchant QR and RM 10,000 per day across all DuitNow activity

Some billers such as utilities providers and telcos now display a DuitNow QR code alongside their conventional JomPAY biller code, giving you the option to pay either way.

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Head-to-head comparison

Feature	JomPAY	DuitNow QR
Primary use case	Recurring bill payments to registered billers	Merchants, vendors, ad-hoc payments, some billers
How you initiate	Enter Biller Code + Ref-1 in banking app	Scan QR code with banking app or e-wallet
Settlement speed	Typically same business day; some billers next day	Instant (seconds) in most cases
Biller coverage	1,000+ registered billers nationally (PayNet, Nov 2025)	Varies; only billers with a DuitNow QR code
Available channels	41 banks, select e-wallets	40+ banks and major e-wallets (TNG, Boost, GrabPay, MAE)
Transaction record	JomPAY reference number issued per payment	DuitNow transaction reference number
Recurring/scheduled payments	Supported in most banking apps	Not natively supported; manual each time
Proof of payment for billers	Biller reference accepted by most billers	Depends on biller; some do not yet accept DuitNow QR as formal proof
Refund path	Contact the biller directly with your JomPAY reference	Contact the biller or merchant; process varies
Typical daily limit	Governed by your bank’s daily transfer limit	RM 3,000 to merchant QR per transaction; RM 10,000/day DuitNow overall

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Biller coverage: where JomPAY still wins

JomPAY was built specifically so that every registered biller is reachable from every participating bank, with no gaps. This is its strongest advantage. Whether you bank with Maybank, CIMB, BSN, Bank Rakyat, or a smaller rural bank, you can pay any of the 1,000+ billers using the same Biller Code.

DuitNow QR coverage for bill payment depends entirely on whether the biller has registered and displayed a QR code. Large telcos and some utilities do, but many smaller billers, local councils, and government agencies do not yet. If you are paying a less common biller, JomPAY is the safer default.

LHDN income tax payments illustrate this well. LHDN has a registered JomPAY Biller Code, meaning you can pay your tax from any of the 41 participating banks with a clear reference trail. DuitNow QR is not available for tax payments as of 2026.

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Speed: where DuitNow QR wins

JomPAY processes payments on the same business day in most cases, but posting to your account with the biller can take up to one business day. If you are paying on the due date, that one-day lag matters.

DuitNow QR transfers are instant. Payment confirmation appears on both ends within seconds. For time-sensitive situations, scanning a QR code removes the posting-lag risk entirely, provided the biller accepts DuitNow QR.

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Records and proof of payment

JomPAY generates a unique transaction reference number for every payment. Most billers, especially utilities and telcos, will accept this reference if you need to dispute a missing payment. Your bank statement will also show the biller name alongside the reference, making it easy to reconcile.

DuitNow QR generates a DuitNow transaction reference, but its acceptance as formal proof varies by biller. For recurring payments where documentation matters, such as hire-purchase instalments or insurance premiums, JomPAY’s paper trail is more universally recognised.

For tracking your spending and managing a monthly budget, JomPAY entries in your bank statement are easier to categorise because the biller name appears consistently.

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Refunds: what you need to know

Neither system processes refunds automatically. For both JomPAY and DuitNow QR, the process is:

1. Contact the biller directly, not your bank
2. Provide your transaction reference number, payment date, and amount
3. The biller verifies and processes the refund to your original account

JomPAY has a clearer process because the biller can look up the standardised JomPAY reference immediately. For DuitNow QR, the biller needs to match the DuitNow transaction reference to their own records, which some smaller billers are not yet set up to do efficiently.

If a JomPAY payment was made to the wrong biller code entirely, contact your bank. Banks can in some cases initiate a recall, but this is not guaranteed and depends on whether the receiving biller cooperates.

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Which should you use?

Use JomPAY when:

• Paying a recurring bill such as electricity, water, internet, insurance, or hire-purchase
• The biller only has a JomPAY code and no QR option
• You need a universally recognised payment reference (tax payments, government agencies, loan repayments)
• You want to set up scheduled payments through your banking app
• You are paying close to a due date and need the one-day posting buffer to still work

Use DuitNow QR when:

• The biller displays a DuitNow QR code and you want instant confirmation
• You are making a one-off payment to a merchant or vendor who does not have a JomPAY code
• Speed of confirmation matters more than a standardised paper trail

For most households paying TNB, Unifi, Syabas, and similar recurring bills, JomPAY remains the more reliable tool. DuitNow QR is a useful complement for everything else in your daily spending. The two systems are not in competition; a well-organised payer uses both.

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Key takeaways

• JomPAY is purpose-built for bill payments and covers 1,000+ billers across 41 banks nationally
• DuitNow QR is instant but only works where a QR code has been displayed by the biller or merchant
• JomPAY’s transaction reference is more widely accepted as formal proof of payment
• Neither system processes refunds automatically; you always deal with the biller directly
• LHDN tax payments and most government billers require JomPAY; DuitNow QR is not accepted for tax
• For recurring bills, JomPAY’s scheduled payment feature in most banking apps saves time

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Frequently asked questions

Can I pay my TNB electricity bill with DuitNow QR?

Yes, TNB has made DuitNow QR available as a payment option alongside their conventional JomPAY Biller Code. You can scan the QR code displayed on the TNB app or website. If you want a scheduled recurring payment, use JomPAY through your banking app instead.

What happens if I enter the wrong JomPAY Biller Code?

The payment will go to the biller associated with the code you entered. Contact your bank immediately and provide the transaction reference. Banks may be able to initiate a recall request, but this is not guaranteed. Always double-check the Biller Code against the official PayNet biller list at jompay.com.my before confirming.

Is there a fee for paying bills via JomPAY or DuitNow QR?

JomPAY payments are free to consumers. For DuitNow QR, merchant and biller payments are free to consumers. The RM 0.50 fee that was discussed in 2023 applies only to peer-to-peer transfers between personal QR codes above RM 5,000, not to bill payments (source: PayNet press release, 2023).

Why does my biller not reflect my JomPAY payment immediately?

JomPAY posting can take up to one business day depending on the biller’s reconciliation process. Most utility and telco billers post on the same day, but some financial institutions and government agencies process overnight. Keep your JomPAY transaction reference as proof that payment was made on time.

Can I use DuitNow QR to pay income tax to LHDN?

No. LHDN income tax payments must be made via the MyTax portal, FPX, or JomPAY using LHDN’s registered Biller Code. DuitNow QR is not an accepted channel for tax payments as of 2026. For details on tax payment methods, refer to the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia.