Published 16 September 2026 (31 Bhadra 2083). This article describes a user complaint that is being widely shared, plus the regulatory background. Wallet apps update often, so behaviour may change — check the confirmation screen in your own app every time.
Quick answer: Many users complain that when they scan an eSewa QR code with the Khalti app, the money does not go to eSewa. Instead, Khalti opens a “send money” screen to the Khalti wallet registered on the same mobile number — with no warning that the QR belongs to a different wallet. If you don’t notice, you only find out after the money has left. In the reverse case, scanning a Khalti QR with eSewa simply shows “Invalid QR”. Both behaviours point to the same problem: eSewa and Khalti still cannot pay each other directly, more than four years after Nepal Rastra Bank ordered payment interoperability.
Key takeaways
- The complaint: Khalti → eSewa QR scan turns into a Khalti-to-Khalti transfer to the same phone number, without a clear warning.
- The reverse: eSewa → Khalti QR scan is rejected as “Invalid QR” — annoying, but at least no money moves by mistake.
- Nepal Rastra Bank’s interoperability circular was issued on 4 February 2022, with six months to implement.
- Direct eSewa ↔ Khalti wallet transfer is still not live. Media reported in 2025 that the two had prepared to connect through Fonepay’s switch, but it never launched.
- Before you confirm any QR payment, check the recipient’s name and which wallet it goes to.
What exactly are users reporting?
The complaint, shared widely on social media, goes like this:
- A customer opens Khalti and scans a shop’s or person’s eSewa QR.
- Khalti does not reject the QR. It reads the mobile number linked to that eSewa account and opens a send-to-Khalti screen for the same number.
- No message says “this is an eSewa QR” or “the money will go to a Khalti wallet, not eSewa”.
- If the recipient has a Khalti account on that number, the money lands there. The payee waiting for money in eSewa never sees it, and the customer only finds out afterwards.
Doing the same the other way — scanning a Khalti QR from eSewa — reportedly gives an “Invalid QR” error.
Digital Solution has not independently tested every app version and phone. Treat this as a documented user complaint and double-check the confirmation screen yourself.
Why the behaviour is risky
- Wrong wallet: A shopkeeper who only checks eSewa thinks you haven’t paid, and you may be asked to pay again.
- Wrong person: The same mobile number could, in some cases, be registered on Khalti by someone else — for example a family member, or someone who got a recycled SIM number.
- Harder refunds: A completed wallet-to-wallet transfer is not a failed transaction, so getting money back depends on the recipient cooperating.
- Silent design: The problem is not that a fallback exists, but that users are not clearly told which wallet the money is going to.
The bigger issue: wallet interoperability in Nepal
On 4 February 2022, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) issued a circular requiring licensed payment service providers to make digital wallets, mobile banking apps and QR codes interoperable, with a six-month deadline. The circular said payment system operators cannot restrict other operators’ access or discriminate based on an institution’s size or transaction volume, and allowed providers to connect either directly or through the national payment switch.
In practice, users still face a split market:
- Fonepay runs the dominant QR network, used by most banks and eSewa.
- NEPALPAY QR, run by Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL), is built as an interoperable QR under NRB’s NepalQR standard.
- According to users, other wallets do offer balance transfers among themselves, but eSewa and Khalti — the two biggest — still don’t connect directly.
In 2025, Nepali tech media reported that eSewa and Khalti by IME had prepared to allow wallet-to-wallet transfers and QR payments through Fonepay’s switch, and that most of the technical work was done. That service has still not gone live for users.
Our analysis
This section is Digital Solution’s opinion, not a regulatory finding.
Critics say NRB’s interoperability rule has become a joke, arguing that the Fonepay network and eSewa are reluctant to open up to rivals. That is a serious charge, and the companies have not publicly accepted it. But the facts users can see are hard to argue with: four years after the circular, the country’s two biggest wallets still can’t pay each other, and QR behaviour differs from app to app. NRB’s new five-year Fintech Strategy lists a “level playing field among fintech players” as a sub-pillar — this complaint is exactly the kind of test that commitment will face.
How to protect yourself right now
- Read the confirmation screen. Check the recipient’s name and whether it says Khalti, eSewa, bank or Fonepay before you enter your PIN.
- Use the same wallet as the QR when paying an eSewa or Khalti personal QR. For shop payments, a bank QR (Fonepay or NEPALPAY) is scannable from most mobile banking apps.
- Ask the shopkeeper where they want the money if the QR sticker has several logos on it.
- Screenshot the transaction and keep the transaction ID.
- If money goes to the wrong wallet, contact the recipient first, then the wallet’s customer support and grievance officer. If it isn’t resolved, file a complaint on NRB’s grievance portal: gunaso.nrb.org.np.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I send money directly from Khalti to eSewa?
No. As of this writing, direct eSewa ↔ Khalti wallet transfer is not available. The usual workaround is to load money to a bank account from one wallet and then load the other wallet from that bank account.
Why does Khalti open a Khalti transfer when I scan an eSewa QR?
Users report that Khalti reads the mobile number behind the eSewa QR and offers a Khalti-to-Khalti transfer to that number. Khalti has not publicly explained this behaviour. Always check the wallet name on the confirmation screen.
Why does eSewa show “Invalid QR” for a Khalti QR?
Users report this error when scanning a Khalti QR from eSewa. The underlying reason is that the two wallets are not connected for direct QR payments; eSewa has not published a detailed explanation.
Did Nepal Rastra Bank require interoperability?
Yes. NRB’s circular of 4 February 2022 required interoperability across wallets, mobile banking apps and QR codes, with a six-month implementation deadline.
I sent money to the wrong wallet. What should I do?
Contact the recipient, then the wallet’s support team and grievance officer with your transaction ID. If it isn’t resolved, complain on NRB’s grievance portal.
Related reading
- What a merchant QR really costs in Nepal
- QR payment voice notification in Nepal
- Khalti Smart Deposit review
Disclaimer: Digital Solution Pvt. Ltd. has no affiliation with Khalti, eSewa, Fonepay or NCHL. This article reports user complaints and public regulatory information; app behaviour can change with updates. If eSewa, Khalti or Fonepay share a response, we will add it.
Sources: Nepal Rastra Bank interoperability circular, 4 February 2022 (as reported by TechLekh and Techmandu); TechPana reporting on eSewa–Khalti interoperability preparations (2025); NCHL NEPALPAY QR information; user complaints shared on social media.
Rabin Paudel
Rabin Paudel is the Founder of Digital Solution, a Content Creator, and an AI Trainer. He shares practical and easy-to-understand content on Artificial Intelligence, Digital Literacy, Online Services, FinTech, and Technology. His mission is to make technology simple, accessible, and useful for everyone.
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