“The Indian digital payments company Paytm announced about integrating Rupay cards to its QR code for merchants for accepting payments. The recent Paytm QR code is already operable to receive payments via UPI apps such as PhonePe, GooglePay, BHIM, etc apart from Paytm wallet and cards. During the launch of the all-in-one Paytm QR code, the Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma said that it is not just the wallet or UPI but also from other payment modes that the merchants will be able to accept payments. This QR code is different as it is the only QR code that has the availability of QR codes. Sharma also said that this facility can be availed absolutely free of cost,i.e. no MDR charge.”

“WeChat Pay operator Tencent is working with China UnionPay on the adoption of a common QR code that will allow merchants to use the same code to accept payments from both companies’ mobile payment services, Caixin Global reports .”

“The new ‘Scan, Pay, Play’ system is rolling out first at PicWicToys’ stores in Lomme, Caen-Mondeville, Villeneuve D’Ascq, St Maximin (Creil) and Le Havre. It lets shoppers scan items with their smartphone as they shop and then self-checkout using mobile payment, “leaving them free to exit the store with their purchases, without any need to queue or wait at a conventional checkout”.”

“Google has launched a new offering for merchants in India that combines an online storefront with physical Spot Codes they can place in their premises to let shoppers easily place orders and make payments. Spot stores are fully integrated into Google Pay and built using HTML and JavaScript “so existing investments into mobile websites or PWAs can be easily transformed into a Spot by adding a few lines of JavaScript”. “The Spot Platform uniquely connects the online to the physical world,” Google says .”

“Bank Indonesia has launched a Quick Response (QR) Code standard for payments through server-based e-money applications, electronic wallets and mobile banking known as QR Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) to coincide with the 74th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence, today (17/08) in Jakarta. National QRIS implementation will be effective from 1st January 2020 in order to provide an adequate transition period for payment system service providers to prepare for the new standard. QRIS launching is part of the roll-out of the Indonesian Payment System Vision (SPI) for 2025, announced in May 2019.”

“This year, there’s going to be also a remarkable introduction into Ghana of a universal QR Code for payments. This will help us move further into the cashless direction because there will be no longer any need for merchants to have point of sales devices, with the QR Code platform. All they need is a mobile phone and even a “yam phone” will work ” he said. “With your mobile phones, you can make payments and it goes straight to the bank account of the merchants and. If all goes well, Ghana’s universal QR CODE platform will be introduced by the furth quarter this year” Dr. Bawumia emphasised.”

“InComm , a leading payments technology company, today announced it has partnered with DFS , the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, to launch barcode payment solutions in Japan. DFS customers can now conveniently pay for duty-free purchases at T Galleria by DFS, Okinawa as well as the DFS Naha and Kansai airport locations by scanning a barcode on their phones at the point of sale.”

“The six mobile wallet providers, Bluecode, ePassi, momo pocket, Pagaqui, Pivo and Vipps are working together to develop a unified QR code to unify what officials say has been a fragmented marketplace. When completed, users of these six mobile apps will be able to make QR code payments in 10 European countries where these apps are accepted, and Alipay users will be able to make payments at merchants that accept these various payment systems.”

“Bank Indonesia (BI) launched on Monday its long-awaited Quick Response Indonesia Standard (QRIS) code system that aims to universalize cashless payment in the country. QRIS, which physically manifests as a more complex QR pattern, allows users from one payment service to transfer funds to any rival service within BI’s ecosystem.”

“Line and Alibaba Group Holding are among five major internet businesses from Japan and China that will standardize QR codes that are scanned to make payments via smartphones in Japan, Nikkei has learned. The others joining this undertaking are online flea market operator Mercari and mobile carrier NTT Docomo from Japan and Tencent Holdings ‘ WeChat Pay from China. Smartphone payments have grown in popularity, and there are many services available as information technology companies, banks, retailers and others have entered the market. There are more than 10 services in Japan alone. But each service uses its own QR code standard, so participating merchants need to install payment apps or readers separately for each service.”

“Itaú’s new platform, called Iti, will work through an app connecting individuals and merchants and will be available to both clients and nonclients of the bank, it said on Monday. Merchants using Iti will pay a fee of 1% per transaction and will receive payments instantly – cheaper than fees currently charged by many card processors. The app also does not require merchants to buy or rent card reader machines. Shares of Brazilian card processors, such as PagSeguro Digital Ltd, StoneCo Ltd and Cielo SA, fell sharply after Itaú’s announcement.”

“With the rise of Chinese tourism, North American merchants have proved eager to accept Chinese mobile wallets like Alipay and WeChat Pay, and now they can add UnionPay cards to that mix. Citcon USA LLC said Monday it will enable merchants in the United States and Canada to accept quick-response (QR) codes at the point of sale for UnionPay International payments. Founded in 2002 and based in Shanghai, UnionPay claims a card base of some 7 billion globally, which it says is the largest in the world.”