QR payments vs SoftPOS vs POS-who will lead?
Each solves a different problem-and together they form the backbone of modern digital acceptance.
While traditional POS is already everywhere, the real growth gap lies in SoftPos and QR -scaling fast across developing and mid-tier markets. Here's what each solves in short:
While traditional POS is already everywhere, the real growth gap lies in SoftPOS and QR -scaling fast across developing and mid-tier markets.Here's what each solves in short:
- QR - financial inclusion & zero-cost acceptance.
- SoftPOS - instant onboarding, hardware-freecard acceptance.
- POS - enterprise-grade security for high-volume transactions.
QR = near-zero cost acceptance
Works for everyone -from street vendors to governments.
No Visa/ Mastercard rails - A2A or wallet payments.
Static/dynamic QR →approve in app →instant settlement.
Adoption: IN UPl·CN WeChat / Alipay·TH PromptPay·ID QRIS·BR PIX
SoftPos = card acceptance without hardware
Merchant's phone acts as terminal; customer taps via NFC.
Powered by Visa/Mastercard with tokenization& PIN-on-glass.
ldeal for micro & SME merchants, delivery, field services.
Growth: PL TR FR GB KZ ZA
Pos = enterprise workhorse
Hardware terminals for retail, hotels, petrol chains.
Supports chip, tap, swipe + peripherals (PlN pad,printer, scanner).
PCI PTS security-but higher cost & deployment effort.
Still global standard for large merchants.
Indicative Comparison
Fees: QR 0-0.5 %·SoftPOS ≈ 0.7-1.2 %·POS ≈1-2.5 %
Rails:QR=A2A/wallet·SoftPOS & POS = Visa /MC
Receipts:QR/SoftPOS = digital·POS = printed
Setup:QR =instant ·SoftPOS = minutes·POS = days
Why QR & SoftPos grow faster:
Software-defined acceptance - low TCO, instant merchant
onboarding, ideal for long-tail inclusion.
Why Pos stays:
Enterprise-grade stability & reliability for high volume checkouts.
True revolution:
Banks deploying all three create the backbone of a digital economy-omnichannel, resilient &inclusive. Each plays a vital role in the modern payments ecosystem.
The real winners are banks and acquirers who combine QR + SoftPOs + POS into one cohesive acceptance layer. Power this seamless integration with Ciontek CS30 — a versatile, all-in-one payment hardware designed to unify multiple acceptance methods into a streamlined, reliable layer. Engineered for banks and acquirers aiming to elevate efficiency and user experience, the Ciontek CS30 seamlessly supports QR codes and SoftPOS, especially suitable for emerging scenarios, make payment services more accessible and affordable.
https://www.ciontek.com/products/smart-pos/cs30.html
DM me if you' d like to explore how to bring products from ciontek together in your payments ecosystem.
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