How to get QR Ph in 2026: Guide for Filipino businesses

Digital payment adoption in the Philippines has transitioned from a convenience to a mandatory business standard. The QR Ph standard has gained significant traction across the Philippines, driven by the growing public preference for digital wallets as a primary payment method.

As demand for QR-based transactions continues to rise, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) must adapt to remain competitive. In this article, we’ll cover how businesses in the Philippines can start processing QR Ph payments.

What is QR Ph

QR Ph is the Philippines’ national QR code standard, developed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Based on the global Europay-Mastercard-VISA (EMV) standard, it is designed to eliminate payment fragmentation by ensuring interoperability between different financial institutions².

From a merchant’s perspective, that interoperability means you no longer need five different standees for five different e-wallets. Instead, you can accept transfers from various banks and digital wallets through a single, unified QR code².

Benefits of adopting QR Ph for your business

• Interoperability: One code accepts payments from any participating bank or e-wallet.
• Lower fees: Comes with fees that depend on providers, with merchant discount rates (MDR) typically between 1.0% and 1.5%³.
• Instant Confirmation: Receive real-time SMS or app notifications for every successful scan³.
• Customer Trust: Use a government-backed, secure standard that Filipinos recognize and prefer, aligned with the BSP’s consumer protection standards.

Steps to get QR PH for your business

Before you begin the registration process with your selected provider, decide how you want to display your QR code based on your business flow:

Static QR (Stick-and-Pay): A printed code on your counter. Customers scan it and manually enter the amount. Best for small shops and quick transactions.

Dynamic QR (Amount-Embedded): Generated per transaction via a mobile app or POS terminal. The amount is already included, so the customer just taps "Pay." This reduces errors and prevents fraud.

Online/API: For e-commerce, the QR code appears at the checkout screen of your website.

1. Register and Verify

• Prepare documents: Once you pick your preferred provider, you'll need your DTI or SEC registration and a valid government ID. For small businesses, ensure your BMBE (Barangay Micro Business Enterprise) certification is updated for potential tax incentives.
• Submit via portal: Upload documents through the provider’s digital management dashboard.
• Wait for approval: Verification often takes as little as a few minutes to a few business days.

2. Activate Payment Channels

• Enable QR Ph: Toggle the setting within your dashboard.
• Generate codes: Use the merchant app to create dynamic QR codes (which include the amount) for better security.
• Display materials: Request physical standees or download static codes for your counter.

3. Implement Security

• Audit daily: Check for "quishing" (QR phishing) by ensuring no fake stickers are overlaid on your standee.
• Train staff: Never rely on a customer's phone screen. Only confirm sales via your own merchant app or SMS alerts.

**Extent of requirements vary per merchant acquirer or payment service provider

Top payment providers with QR Ph capability

While the QR Ph standard ensures that one code works for everyone, not all payment providers offer the same tools or terms. To accept these payments, you must first partner with a Payment Service Provider (PSP)—typically a bank or a fintech company—that will issue your official QR Ph code and handle your settlements.

When selecting a partner, consider these three factors:

1. Merchant Discount Rate (MDR): This is the fee the provider takes from every transaction.
2. Settlement Speed: How quickly the money reaches your bank account. Some offer instant settlement, while others take one business day (T+1)⁵.
3. Hardware & Integration: Decide if you need a physical standee, a mobile app, or a dedicated POS terminal that prints receipts.

Provider Highlights

• HitPay: Merchants prioritizing cost savings will appreciate the low 1.0% MDR. They also offer seamless e-commerce plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix¹¹.
• Maya Business: Maya serves as a complete financial hub, going beyond simple payment processing. It integrates business banking, payroll, and supplier payments into a single platform, allowing merchants to manage their entire operation in one place⁶.
• PayMongo: Their Soundbox provides real-time audio confirmation for every QR Ph transaction, eliminating the need to manually verify screenshots or dashboards. It is ideal for high-traffic retail environments, busy restaurants, and pop-up events where speed and fraud prevention are essential for smooth operations⁹.

Wise Business: Receive global payments like a local

If you're a business in the Philippines trying to go global, you've probably hit a wall of confusing foreign exchange fees when collecting payments from international customers. Wise Business helps you cut through all that complexity—be it a local bank transfer or a wire transfer. By simplifying how you receive payments, you're free to pursue what matters—growing a local brand with global sights.

• Obtain account details to receive payments in USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, HKD and more for a one-time fee of 1,400 PHP.
• Simply share your account details with customers or add them to invoices.
• Zero fees when you get paid via ACH, FAST, InstaPay/PESONet, & other local transfers.
• Full fee transparency when clients pay you via Wire / SWIFT.
• Hold, send, and convert money at the mid-market rate in one account.
• Accept payments from customers and payment service providers (PSPs) like Stripe and Amazon.

➡️Get started with Wise Business today

Wise Pilipinas Inc. is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. You may visit the BSP website for more information about its regulatory framework and consumer protection policies. To reach Wise, visit help center here.

FAQs on QR Ph

1. What are the typical fees for accepting QR Ph?

Standard Merchant Discount Rates (MDR) range from 1.0% to 1.5%. Most providers have zero monthly subscription fees, making it much cheaper than traditional credit card terminals.

2. Can customers pay using any app?

Yes. QR Ph supports all major banks like BDO and BPI, plus e-wallets like GCash and Maya.

3. How quickly are funds settled?

Most transactions settle on a T+1 (next business day) basis via the InstaPay or PESONet clearing houses⁶^,⁸.

Sources

1. Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
2. QR Ph FAQs: BSP
3. QR Ph: Why Growing Businesses in the Philippines Can’t Afford to Ignore It: PayMongo
4. ASEAN QR Code Payments Network: Fulcrum
5. Accepting QR Ph with no monthly fees: Hit Pay app
6. Activating QR Ph for Your Brick-and-Mortar Store in 2025: HitPay
7. HitPay vs PayMongo: HitPay
8. Settlements for QR Ph: Maya Business
9. QR Ph Soundbox: PayMongo
10. Maya Business Account Philippines: Wise
11. Integrations: HitPay