“The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US has released a public service announcement (PSA) warning that “cybercriminals are tampering with QR codes” in order to steal data and funds and is advising consumers to “practice caution” when using them.”

“United and PayPal today announced a new way to make touch-free inflight purchases, even in areas without Wi-Fi. Starting next month, United customers on select flights can simply show a flight attendant the PayPal QR Code in the PayPal app and use it to buy snacks, drinks and other inflight purchases while onboard.”

“epay, the digital payments business segment of global financial technology solutions and payments provider Euronet Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ:EEFT), today announced the integration of the PayPal QR Code in their point-of-sale solution. The solution is already live in Germany and will be available in other markets in the future.”

“UnionPay app users are now able to scan WeChat QR codes to make payments. WeChat does not currently make payments to UnionPay QR codes, instead suggesting the user download another app in a TechNode test Wednesday. Different payments providers have previously required customers to scan different codes. This integration is the latest step toward interoperability for Chinese mobile payments, which fintech regulators have encouraged in recent years.”

“I have cautiously resumed dining in restaurants occasionally, and so have found myself scanning QR codes to access the menu online. It’s a quick and easy process hiding a surprisingly large amount of math. QR stands for Quick Response, and these codes were invented in 1994 by Masahiro Hara at the Japanese automotive company Denso Wave. Their original purpose was to track inventory in factories, but broader uses became possible with the advent and ubiquity of smartphones. QR codes are essentially a two-dimensional version of bar codes, which are a clever way of encoding information in an image using vertical lines of different thicknesses that a scanner can detect.”

“QR codes — essentially a kind of bar code that allows transactions to be touchless — have emerged as a permanent tech fixture from the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants have adopted them en masse, retailers including CVS and Foot Locker have added them to checkout registers, and marketers have splashed them all over retail packaging, direct mail, billboards and TV advertisements.”

“LawPay, the leading online payment solution for legal professionals, expanded its features to release QR codes for immediate use by attorneys to accept and receive payments. These new custom payment QR codes are available for use by all LawPay customers as an easy way for their clients to pay digitally by simply scanning the QR code on an invoice to save time and increase cash flow for the firms.”

“This spring, Facebook confirmed it was testing Venmo-like QR codes for person-to-person payments inside its app in the U.S. Today, the company announced those codes are now launching publicly to all U.S. users, allowing anyone to send or request money through Facebook Pay — even if they’re not Facebook friends. The QR codes work similarly to those found in other payment apps, like Venmo. The feature can be found under the “Facebook Pay” section in Messenger’s settings, accessed by tapping on your profile icon at the top left of the screen. Here, you’ll be presented with your personalized QR code which looks much like a regular QR code except that it features your profile icon in the middle.”

“Quick Response codes are one of the many payment options to flourish as consumers embrace digital and contactless payments in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, says a report from Blackhawk Network Inc.  Of the 13,000 respondents surveyed across nine countries representing nearly half of the world’s card-payment volume, 18% say they used a QR code or barcode for payment for the first time during the pandemic, and 40% say they are using them more frequently. The technology is also catching the attention of consumers who do not use the technology, with 30% of non-users saying they are interested in using QR codes or barcodes for payment.”

“Bux, UBX’s embeddable end-to-end payment platform, launches universal QR payments enabling over 100,000 Bux merchants to accept payment with just a scan from their customers’ mobile devices…With a universal QR code that is digital, printable, and customizable, Bux provides its merchants a significant advantage—a much easier way for customers to pay digitally, even in physical locations, by just using the camera of a customer’s mobile phone. This means, less hassle for merchants, greater safety, and flexible options for their customers when it comes to payments.”

“The Bank of Thailand and the State Bank of Vietnam have launched a new QR code payment link between the two countries to allow cross-border transactions. The QR code payment link will allow for cross-border payments to take place . Moreover, it will make it possible for the two countries to be able to use their local currencies with each other. Through this new connection, the financial markets in both countries are expected to be able to see enhanced capital flow. It is also expected to provide the regional economies with meaningful stimulus.”

“Facebook confirms it’s testing a new QR code feature and payment links for use with Facebook Pay to make it easier for people in the U.S. to send or request money from one another. The QR code feature, similar to Venmo’s QR codes and others, will allow a user to scan a friend’s code with their smartphone’s camera to send or request money, while the sharable payment links will let you publish your payment address outside of Facebook itself. The addition was first spotted on Monday by MacRumors , which noted that users were being presented with a new “Scan” button in the Facebook Pay carousel at the top of the screen.”

“Taking one step closer to becoming a ‘financial super app’, Revolut is rolling out QR codes for its business customers. From today, Revolut’s business customers across 25 countries will be able to take in-person, socially-distanced payments via a QR code. The touch-free payment method allows for instant payments, with small business owners able to see if a payment has been successful right away.”

“QR codes, or quick response codes, were invented in 1994 by Masahiro Hara, an engineer who worked in Japan’s auto industry, with the goal of tracking vehicles and parts during the manufacturing process. Instead of typing in a tedious URL, scan a small black-and-white label with your phone to instantly pull up a website or app. In the years that followed, other sectors, including advertising, marketing, and online payment services, adopted their usage.”

“The quick response (QR) code has become one of the biggest symbols of the pandemic.  According to the latest Juniper Research report, some 5.3 billion QR code coupons will be redeemed by smartphones by 2022. This figure has been greatly boosted by the steep rise in QR code usage. And according to Statista, by the end of this year, an estimated 11 million households will scan a QR code.”