EMV Merchant QR Code

The EMV Merchant QR Code is a global standard for QR codes used in payment transactions, designed by EMVCo, a worldwide organization managing payment standards. This standard ensures that QR code payments are safe, reliable, and work smoothly across different banks, financial institutions, and payment systems worldwide.

Key Elements of an EMV Merchant QR Code

An EMV Merchant QR Code includes specific information to process payments accurately. Here’s a breakdown of its key components:

• Payload Format Indicator: Confirms that the QR code follows EMV standards.
• Point of Initiation Method: Specifies if the QR code is:Static – used for multiple transactions.Dynamic – generated uniquely for each transaction.
• Merchant Account Information: Contains the merchant’s payment details, such as:Receiving institution’s ID.Merchant ID.Additional account details for routing the payment.
• Merchant Category Code (MCC): Identifies the merchant’s industry or type.
• Transaction Currency: Sets the transaction currency (follows ISO 4217 standards).
• Country Code: Specifies the merchant’s country (follows ISO 3166-1 standards).
• Merchant Name and City: Displays the merchant’s name and city for easy identification.
• Additional Fields: May include reference numbers, terminal IDs, and transaction-specific details.
• CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check): Ensures data accuracy by checking for errors.

Types of EMV Merchant QR Codes

• Static QR Code: Printed or displayed once and reused. Customers enter the transaction amount during payment.
• Dynamic QR Code: Generated uniquely for each transaction, often including the amount, making payment faster and reducing errors.

The EMV Merchant QR Code standard is widely used in mobile payment systems, especially in regions with strong mobile payment adoption, such as India and Southeast Asia. It’s a flexible and secure payment method for businesses of all sizes, making transactions easier for both merchants and customers.

Example Code Structure of EMV QR Code (Pseudo Format)

00 - Payload Format Indicator: 01

01 - Point of Initiation Method: 12 (Dynamic)

26 - Merchant Account Information

00 - Merchant ID: [Your Merchant ID]

01 - Merchant Account Details: [Acquirer Information]

52 - Merchant Category Code (MCC): [MCC Code]

53 - Transaction Currency: 356 (INR for India)

58 - Country Code: IN

59 - Merchant Name: [Merchant Name]

60 - Merchant City: [City]

63 - CRC: [Checksum]