This is the same chip used in the Suica and Pasmo transit cards and the basis for the two most common systems for contactless credit card payments in Japan: QUICPay and iD. Stand-alone QUICPay card | Photo by Gregory Lane While EMV is gaining some traction in Japan, the overwhelming majority of contactless terminals and card companies support the Japan-only FeliCa chip. You’ll probably recognize the wifi-like symbol on your card and payment terminals. Outside Japan, the universally used system for NFC-based contactless credit card payments is EMV (it stands for Eurocard, MasterCard, Visa). It isn’t very widespread yet and only available in Japanese, so it’s probably only worth considering for those with Docomo as their mobile provider. You can use it to pay your monthly phone bills, then spend reward points online and offline. Where to download: You will need to apply for membership on the Docomo website to install the app.ĭ Barai is connected to NTT Docomo, a Japanese mobile provider. d BaraiĮnglish-language version: No, there is a basic English explanation on the website, but the app is in Japanese In 2020, Merpay bought out Origami-another up-and-coming payment app-and rolled it into Merpay. Currently, Merpay has around 1 million partner stores in Japan as Mercari is Japan’s dominant online marketplace with good brand awareness, this number can be expected to grow. You can add to your Merpay account from either your bank account or your earnings from Mercari sales. This digital payment service is for those that use the Japanese online marketplace Mercari. Point system: No, but occasional campaigns R Pay lets you earn Rakuten reward points, and if you also have a Rakuten credit card, your points will double.Īs Rakuten is one of the few credit card providers in Japan that doesn’t have huge hurdles for foreigners, it is definitely worth a consideration in combination with the point system. The service, connected to Rakuten (basically the eBay of Japan), is commonly found and has partnerships with many chain stores, including convenience stores. R Pay was a forerunner of cashless payment in Japan, but now its competitors are catching up to it. R PayĮnglish-language version: English website, Japanese app Once you download the app, you can add balance to your account via bank transfer or at convenience stores. Security for LINE Pay transactions is highly rated, and the app is accepted in a variety of both online and brick-and-mortar stores. LINE Pay belongs to LINE, Japan’s biggest messaging service and super app. Point system: Irregular offers and point campaigns They can be used as an instant cash-back discount on each subsequent purchase, saved for later use, or interestingly, you can put them in a managed investment fund! The bonus is recorded as a yen amount in the app. You can add to your PayPay balance by bank transfer, at the ATM, by connecting it to your SoftBank/Y!Mobile phone bill, with a gift card, by getting a friend to send you money, or with a credit card. For merchants that don’t have the gear, you scan their code, enter the payment amount, and show them the on-screen payment completion on your phone. Merchants with the right equipment just scan the personalized code from the app on your mobile. The QR-code-based system works in two different ways depending on the merchant. The campaigns can offer good deals for cheapos that can read Japanese. It is accepted widely in stores throughout Tokyo, often in stores where credit card is not a payment option. It currently offers generous discounts and reward bonuses but stipulates in its terms and conditions that these campaigns may be phased out in the future. PayPay is a Softbank and Yahoo! Japan joint venture and received widespread adoption due to a very successful advertising awareness campaign. Where to download: Google Play or App Store Regular discounts or bonus campaigns are available depending on participating stores. Point system: Users can get a bonus if they top up the balance using any method other than credit card. A pharmacy accepting PayPay | Photo by Gregory Lane PayPayĮnglish-language version: Yes (but with parts in Japanese)
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