Can I still use the QR code for payment? The latest authoritative interpretation of the central bank is here!

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, November 27 -

　　Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Yu

　　Recently, it was reported that “WeChat and Alipay payment codes cannot be used for business collection”.

Can the QR code for payment be used?

Xinhua News Agency reporter learned exclusively from the relevant departments of the People's Bank of China on the 27th that the statement was misunderstood.

Merchants who use "code cards" or printed and packaged QR codes need to apply to collection service agencies (such as WeChat, Alipay, etc.) to convert to commercial collection codes, but consumers' daily payment experience and feelings will not be affected.

　　A person from the People's Bank of China gave the reporter an analogy: If consumers buy pancakes and fruits at an early stall and are used to paying with their mobile phones, they can still pay by scanning codes and other methods without any change.

If the vendor who sells vegetables has already used the business collection code to collect money, it will not be affected in any way.

　　In October, the "Notice of the People's Bank of China on Strengthening the Management of Payment Acceptance Terminals and Related Businesses" issued by the People's Bank of China put forward a series of management requirements for bar code payment for receipts, but some people misunderstood some of the content.

　　The reporter learned from the relevant departments of the People’s Bank of China that some merchants used "code tags" or printed and packaged QR codes for payment. Apply to a collection service agency (such as WeChat, Alipay, etc.) to convert to a commercial collection code.

In addition, in accordance with relevant requirements, it is not allowed to provide individuals with obvious characteristics of business activities with collection services related to business activities through personal payment barcodes.

As for which users are "with obvious business characteristics", the China Payment and Clearing Association is studying and formulating relevant standards.

　　The notice will come into effect on March 1, 2022.

A person from the People's Bank of China stated that before the relevant requirements are implemented, payment service institutions must fully and fully assess the normal payment needs of customers and formulate supporting service solutions to ensure that service costs and service quality are not reduced.

Collection service agencies are obliged to provide merchants with commercial collection codes for free, and merchants only need to provide necessary identity verification information.

　　The People's Bank of China stated that the people's supremacy and the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of market players have always been the starting point for the regulatory authorities to formulate policies.

In recent years, the public abhors illegal and criminal activities such as online fraud and online gambling.

In the investigation of related cases conducted by the public security organs and the financial management departments, it was found that the use of personal payment codes for rent and sale, modification of payment acceptance terminals, and application for false merchants are common methods used by criminals, causing financial losses to many individual merchants.

The central bank issued relevant requirements this time to strengthen industry management, plug loopholes, cut off illegal chains, better protect the safety of individual merchants’ funds, and keep people’s money bags.