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QR Code Payment

A cashless payment method that uses QR codes. There are two types: merchant-presented (MPM) and consumer-presented (CPM).

Oct 21, 2026 / About 1 min read

QR Code

QR code payment is a cashless payment method in which scanning a QR code completes a transaction. Representative services include PayPay, Rakuten Pay, and d Barai in Japan, and Alipay and WeChat Pay in China.

EMVCo's QR code payment specifications define two modes. MPM (Merchant Presented Mode) has the store display a QR code that the customer scans. CPM (Consumer Presented Mode) has the customer show a QR code on their phone, which the store's terminal reads.

According to a March 2026 release from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan's cashless payment ratio was 58.0% (162.7 trillion yen) in 2025, of which code payments accounted for 16.6 trillion yen (10.2% of the breakdown).

The intersection of short URLs and QR code payments lies in marketing. Displaying a short URL after payment completion to direct customers to a campaign page, or printing a short-URL QR code on receipts to link to surveys or coupon pages, are tactics in use.

On the security front, a risk unique to QR code payments is code substitution: an attacker places a fraudulent QR code sticker over the store's legitimate one, redirecting payments to the attacker's account. Merchants should regularly inspect their QR codes for tampering.

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Related Terms

QR Code

A two-dimensional barcode that stores data in a matrix of black and white squares, readable by smartphone cameras.

QR Code Security

Measures to protect users from malicious QR codes that may lead to phishing sites or malware downloads.

QR Code Scanner

Software or hardware that reads and decodes QR codes, typically using a smartphone camera.

Dynamic QR Code

A QR code that encodes a short URL, allowing the destination to be changed without reprinting the code.

QR Code Tracking

The ability to monitor and analyze scan data from QR codes, including scan counts, locations, and devices.

QR Code Inventory Management

A system that manages receiving and shipping / stocktaking by scanning QR codes attached to products and materials. It has the advantage of storing more information than barcodes.

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FAQ

Which is more secure, QR code payment or IC card payment?
IC cards (Suica, iD, etc.) contain an encryption chip, which makes them hard to counterfeit. QR code payments carry risks such as screen capture and code substitution, and one-time codes and expiration settings reduce these risks. Which is safer is not decided by the method alone; it also depends on whether users check that they are using the official app and a legitimate QR code.
Can I use Japanese QR code payment services overseas?
It depends on the service. Availability varies by service, so check each service's information before traveling.
How much does it cost for a store to adopt QR code payments?
With MPM, you simply print and display a QR code, so the initial hardware cost is virtually zero. Transaction fees vary by service and contract.

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