PayPay

PayPay, offered by PayPay Co., Ltd., is Japan's leading smartphone payment service. PayPay Corporation was established in 2018 as a joint venture between LY Corporation, a partnership between SoftBank Group Corp. and Z Holdings' Yahoo Japan.

PayPay has about 61 million users, equivalent to one in every two smartphone users in Japan, according to a survey by the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications as of December 2023. According to PayPay-Inside-Out, as of 2022, more than 3.66 million merchants in Japan have adopted the PayPay app.

PayPay's payment process is simple, users only need to scan the QR code and no cash transaction is required. Users can link their bank accounts and top up their PayPay accounts. To make a purchase, users simply scan a QR code or ask a cashier to scan a barcode on their smartphone.

Users can use PayPay to pay various utility bills and transfer money. A significant advantage of PayPay is that it partners with other cashless payment services in the Asian market, such as Alipay and Kakao Pay, thereby expanding its reach and potential customer base.

The platform also supports digital coupons and stamped cards, incentivizing corporate loyalty programs and encouraging repeat business. Notably, businesses can introduce PayPay into their operations at zero cost, making it an affordable option for those exploring mobile payment solutions.

Merchants will often post a label or sign indicating that they accept PayPay payments. PayPay offers two main payment methods:

Pay via QR code

To use the QR code method, find the QR code option in the PayPay app and scan the QR code provided by the store. After scanning, the store name will appear, prompting the user to manually enter the required amount. This method does not require a dedicated terminal at the front of the store.

Pay via barcode

The default payment method is barcode payment, which requires the store to have a dedicated terminal. To use this method, open your PayPay app and display the barcode. Show the barcode to the cashier, who will scan it. Once scanned, funds will be deducted from your PayPay balance, bank account or PayPay card.