Johannesburg: TECHz Magazine – News Desk
South African Galaxy users now have a faster, card-free way to check out, as Samsung Wallet officially integrates QR code payments through a partnership with EFT Corporation’s Scan to Pay. This new feature aims to eliminate checkout friction by combining Samsung’s massive device ecosystem with one of the country’s largest alternative payment networks.
The new functionality removes the need to dig for physical cards or wait for traditional terminal connections. It requires just three simple steps: users open their Samsung Wallet, scan a supported QR code at the point of sale, and authenticate the transaction. This works across various checkout scenarios, including retail tills, fuel stations, restaurant bills, and e-commerce checkouts. Payments are actively protected by Samsung Knox – the company’s defense-grade mobile security platform – and require biometric authentication for every purchase.
Scan to Pay already boasts a massive infrastructure footprint in South Africa. The technology is accepted at over 600,000 merchant locations nationwide and is embedded in more than 19 million consumer banking and fintech applications. For merchants who already accept Scan to Pay, this integration requires zero additional hardware, integration work, or process changes. It immediately opens their payment network to millions of Galaxy device users looking to pay directly from their native digital wallet. Because QR-based payments carry a lower cost of acceptance relative to traditional card infrastructure, this move strongly supports the local market’s shift toward a cashless economy.
Executives from both companies emphasize the seamless nature of this integration. Zahir Cajee, MX Lead of Product and Commercial at Samsung South Africa, highlighted the focus on practical utility, stating that one of the core fundamentals within the product design process is having a deep understanding of what users do with their devices, and importantly how they can make everyday usage more intuitive and easier.
Paul Selibas, MD of Scan to Pay, noted the synergy between the two platforms, explaining that Scan to Pay has spent years building the acceptance side of QR payments in South Africa, while Samsung brings the other half of that equation with millions of Galaxy devices already in South Africans’ pockets. The Scan to Pay feature is now live for all eligible Samsung Wallet users at participating locations across South Africa.
