What are the QR codes on checkout counters in Chinese street shops?
At small shops and street-side stalls in China, a QR code payment stand is often placed on one side of the counter. Customers scan the code with their phones, and the shopkeeper waits behind the counter for the payment to go through. According to the People’s Bank of China, banks processed 210.98 billion mobile payments in 2024. The same small QR stand can be seen on the counters of snack shops, fruit stalls, and neighborhood stores.