Merpay, LINE Pay, NTT DOCOMO, and KDDI have signed a letter of intent for a business alliance to make cashless transactions more widely available.
In addition, KDDI has joined the Mobile Payment Alliance (MoPA), an alliance of merchant stores. Going forward, the four companies will strive to further popularize cashless payments in Japan.
Through this business alliance, the four companies will promote the introduction of their mobile payment services, Merpay, LINE Pay, d Barai (TM), and au PAY to stores and businesses. Each company plans to make their own app capable of handling QR code scanning and payments for the other partners' merchant-presented mode (MPM) code payment services. Businesses only need to set up a QR code from any one of the services to begin accepting payments from users of all four, reducing both the burden of implementing a new system and enabling acquisition of many potential new customers.
Users will also benefit from being able to use their chosen payment method at more stores. By bringing the four companies and their large userbases together, the companies expect the alliance to create an even more convenient experience for both consumers and merchants, and also anticipate that this will help accelerate the spread of cashless payment services in Japan.
Merpay and LINE Pay formed a business alliance and established MoPA in March 2019, with the objective of providing a more convenient mobile payment experience for both merchants and users. DOCOMO joined the alliance in June 2019.
