QR code payment value at stores in Japan 2018-2023

In 2023, the total value of QR code and barcode payments made at physical and online stores in Japan amounted to around 14.9 trillion Japanese yen. QR code payment services emerged as the second-most popular payment method, surpassing electronic money for the second consecutive time during that year.

QR code payments in Japan

QR code payments are a mobile payment service that involves scanning a QR code or barcode at a store’s register. QR code payments can be settled in different ways; they can be linked to prepaid, direct debit, and deferred payment methods. Convenience stores are a primary location where consumers utilize QR code payments, followed by supermarkets and drugstores. In fact, QR code payments have evolved to become the most used cashless payment option in convenience stores over the span of just a few years. Among various QR code payment services, PayPay is the most widely used, followed by Rakuten Pay. 

Rising popularity of cashless payments

The ratio of cashless payments in Japan has experienced significant growth, more than doubling over the past decade. The rise was mainly due to increased credit card spending, but the value of QR code and barcode payments also doubled from 2021 to 2023. This surge can be attributed to the cashless point reward program the government introduced in 2019. The impact of the global coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the need to reduce physical contact further fueled the popularity of cashless payments.