National Digital Payment Network (ndpx) today launched tarus, enabling Brunei’s first instant fund transfers across participating banks and e-wallets.
Five platforms have on boarded onto tarus: BEEP Solutions, BIBD At-Tamwil’s Olive, MyDST, TAIBVX, and Progresif’s Ding!.
Users of these applications who have linked their bank accounts, cards, or other forms of credit can now send and receive money across these platforms by entering phone numbers associated with their accounts.
In a press statement, ndpx said Baiduri, BIBD, and ThreeG Media’s Pocket are expected to join in the next phase.
Tarus is the product name of Brunei’s first instant digital payment hub, operating as a back-end infrastructure for instant transfers between participating banks and e-wallets.
Users access tarus through their respective banks and e-wallet providers. The tarus option will appear as an inter-platform transfer option within participating providers.
“Currently, most users in Brunei transfer money within the same bank or e-wallet. While interbank transfers are possible, they primarily rely on systems like the Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) System, which is designed for large-value payments,” said ndpx in their announcement.
“Tarus, however, is designed for everyday transactions, enabling seamless, secure and instantaneous fund transfers – enhancing convenience and financial connectivity across the nation.”
Future phases will enable payments between users and businesses across platforms through a single QR code—tarusQR, which will serve as Brunei’s national QR code standard.
Additionally, a request-to-pay feature will let payees request payments directly from payers.
Ndpx is also continuing to explore partnerships with regional payment providers to enable cross-border transactions, allowing Brunei consumers to pay in neighboring countries and vice versa using their existing bank apps and e-wallets.
Ndpx is an approved operator under the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank (BDCB), with tarus functioning as a payment switch to facilitate faster and more cost-effective transactions between multiple providers.
Tarus is a flagship initiative under Brunei’s Digital Economy Masterplan 2025 and the BDCB Digital Payment Roadmap 2019-2025, aligning with nation’s goals for economic diversification under Wawasan 2035.
