EMVCo, the global technical body that manages the EMV specifications, has created a QR Payment Mark to promote global interoperability across EMV QR-code payments, according to a press release.

EMVCo has developed reproduction requirements and a free licensing structure to enable all implementers of EMV QR Code solutions to use the mark. 

In 2017, EMVCo published the EMV QR Code Specifications to address two prevalent QR Code payment use cases: 

• Consumer-presented: The consumer displays the QR code on their mobile device and the merchant uses an optical scanner to read the code. 
• Merchant-presented: The merchant displays the QR code and the consumer uses their mobile device to scan the code. 

The QR Payment Mark may be used to inform consumers that a merchant accepts EMV QR-code payment products, according to the release. Supplemental messaging to consumers will confirm whether merchant-presented transactions, consumer-presented transactions, or both, are supported. The QR Payment Mark may also be used as an application indicator on a consumer mobile device when initiating a consumer-presented transaction. A royalty-free trademark license agreement and reproduction requirements are available in EMVCo's Trademark Centre.

"As momentum builds for leveraging emerging technologies, EMVCo is committed to facilitating worldwide acceptance and interoperability for EMV QR Code payments," Jack Pan, EMVCo executive committee chair, stated in the release. "The development of a uniform, recognizable QR Payment Mark that can be used on a royalty-free basis is an important step toward providing a universally consistent experience for both merchants and consumers."