The standardisation of the Quick Response Code (QR Code) for retail payments in Hong Kong (HKQR) is to facilitate the acceptance of electronic payments by both domestic and international payments scheme, e-wallets and banks in a single QR code.
QR code standard
The Common QR Code Specification for Retail Payments in Hong Kong – Merchant-Presented Mode was finalised in December 2017.
Click here for more details on the Specification.
A mobile app for combining QR codes
The "Hong Kong Common QR Code" mobile application (HKQR) may be used by payment service providers (PSPs), merchant acquirers or merchants for converting multiple QR codes from different PSPs into a single, combined QR code. Only static QR codes, which conform to the Common QR Code Specification for Retail Payments in Hong Kong (Merchant-Presented Mode), provided by participating PSPs can be combined by the HKQR. Merchants may contact their PSPs and request for QR codes that conform to the Specification. The participating PSP list is subject to change from time to time.
Visit Apple App Store or Google Play Store to download the mobile app
Use cases of QR code payment
Buyer-to-large retailer transactions
- Customer picks up items worth HKD500 at a supermarket and goes to the cashier for checkout
- The cashier scans each item and generates a bill of HKD500. He generates a unique QR Code on a screen near the ports
- Customer opens the payments app on her smartphone, scans the QR Code, checks the details and authorises the payment
- The cashier gets a notification that the payment has been made and prints the sale receipt
Buyer-to-small business transactions
- Customer picks up items worth HKD10 at a small store
- The cashier requests her to make a payment and points at a printed QR Code near the POS
- Customer opens the payments app, scans the QR Code, enters the amount, check the details and authorises the payment
- The cashier gets confirmation via SMS
Note that in this case, the buyer enters the amount and the merchant has a permanent QR Code. This QR Code helps the buyer app to identify the merchant account.
Peer-to-peer transactions
This applies when an individual needs to pay another. For example, friends, family members, or self-employed professionals. This is how it works:
- Customer got some plumbing work done and she now owes him HKD800
- The plumber opens the payments app and generates a QR Code worth HKD800
- Customer opens her payments app and scans this QR Code on the plumber’s phone, check the details and authorises the transfer
- The transfer is complete and both customer and plumber receive an SMS confirmation