PAYMAYA Philippines on Monday said the scan-to-pay technology is now available in Smart stores and select merchants in key cities nationwide, allowing consumers to conveniently pay by scanning quick response (QR) codes through the PayMaya application.
In a statement, the digital financial services arm of PLDT, Inc. and Smart’s Voyager Innovations, said Smart subscribers can already transact using their PayMaya accounts as Smart Stores all over the country are now equipped with PayMaya QR technology.
PayMaya said the service is available in canteens in partner schools like STI and commercial establishments in Muntinlupa and Malabon, as well as merchants in SmartSpots equipped with WiFi in key cities such as Baguio, Cebu, and Davao.
The company said it will soon partner with food chains, supermarkets, and malls such as McDonald’s, Army Navy, Domino’s Pizza, and Gaisano Supermarkets, to allow customers to make payments using PayMaya.
PayMaya also plans to equip Smart retail partners down to the sari-sari store levels with the payment technology.
“For any kind of digital payments technology to be widely adopted, it is important to foster the right conditions and build the ecosystem. PayMaya is already leading the market toward this direction. Along with the strongest network of PLDT and Smart, we are seeing digital financial inclusion in action,” Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of PLDT, Smart, Voyager Innovations and PayMaya Philippines was quoted as saying in a statement.
Orlando B. Vea, President and CEO, PayMaya Philippines and Voyager Innovations said the expansion of QR code payments “will reinforce” the position of PayMaya as “the top mobile payments acquirer in the country.”
“PayMaya is the leading digital payments wallet and on the merchant side, this will reinforce our position as the top mobile payments acquirer in the country,” Mr. Vea said.
PayMaya first introduced QR Code payments via app in May.
Last month, PayMaya partnered with Facebook to allow PayMaya customers to send money and pay bills using Facebook Messenger. Customers can use Messenger to pay bills, inquire about their PayMaya wallet balance, send money to other Messenger users, including non-users of PayMaya, as well as also buy mobile load at a discount via Messenger.
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo
