PayNet’s DuitNow QR campaign makes cross-border payments feel just like home

Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) has rolled out a new campaign for DuitNow QR’s cross-border feature, highlighting how Malaysians can now pay seamlessly in Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, and Indonesia using the same banking or e-wallet apps they rely on at home.

The campaign aims to tackle a common travel habit: even frequent travellers often default to cash or cards when abroad. Cash is seen as a safety net in case technology fails, while cards are valued for their chargebacks and fraud protections. The brief for the campaign was clear: grow awareness and usage of the cross-border QR feature and normalise scanning abroad, not just domestically.

The creative strategy addresses this hesitation with familiarity. Transactions run through the user’s bank app with bank-backed security, screen-lock, PIN, and biometric protection. Users can also set daily transaction limits for additional control.

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As PayNet’s newly appointed creative agency, Chariot Agency developed four country-specific films, produced by Directors Think Tank and directed by Gavin Simpson, each using a fast visual metaphor to convey ease of use.

The films span Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, following groups of Malaysian travellers enjoying iconic experiences in each destination: a dinner at a Cambodian restaurant, relaxing on Indonesian beaches, strolling through a Singaporean park, and shopping in Thai markets. The moment a traveller pulls out their phone to pay with DuitNow QR, those around them react in surprise at how seamless and convenient the transaction is

Once the payment goes through instantly, the traveller momentarily transforms into traditional Malaysian attire, visually reinforcing the campaign’s message of familiarity and ease abroad.

Christyna Fong, creative director at Chariot, explained the concept: “We wanted a human, memorable way to convey that feeling of familiarity. The wardrobe shift is a simple analogy. No long explanations, just a clear signal that paying abroad can feel as easy as it does in Malaysia.”

While the campaign pushes a specific feature, it also supports PayNet’s broader ambition to build confidence so that cross-border scanning becomes as reflexive as domestic use, reinforcing PayNet’s role as the national enabler of secure, seamless digital payments that travel with Malaysians. The four videos will be available across YouTube and social media. 

By combining relatable storytelling with clear product messaging, the campaign aims to normalise cross-border QR payments, encouraging travellers to adopt digital payments confidently wherever they go.

Earlier in July, PayNet had appointed Chariot Agency to spearhead its brand positioning efforts. As the chosen agency, Chariot will develop PayNet’s first-ever masterbrand platform alongside an integrated communications programme. Work starts immediately, with the first campaign set to launch in the fourth quarter of 2025.

In addition, Chariot will support PayNet’s creative direction from strategy through to execution, signaling a growing appetite for strategic creativity that solves business challenges, not just sells. While PayNet is widely recognised for operating key payment systems such as DuitNow and JomPAY, its past marketing focused on individual products. This new chapter will place PayNet itself centre stage, highlighting its role as a critical enabler of Malaysia’s digital economy and financial inclusion ambitions.

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