Visa, Billdesk partner to bring BharatQR to the next 300 million consumers

Visa and Billdesk, two of India’s leading electronic payment companies, have announced the activation of fifty large service providers who will now hop on to the government’s BharatQR platform. [caption id=“attachment_4019875” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] QR code scanning. Representational image[/caption] BharatQR simplifies digital payments by eliminating the need for divulging card details at the point of sale. The successful enablement of these fifty service providers (which took place in a short span of a month) means that the digital payment facility is now available to a potential 300 million consumers in India. As for the merchants who enabled BharatQR, the long list includes Tata AIG, ACT Broadband, Reliance Energy, Gujarat Gas, MTNL, Aircel, Tata Power, Pune Municipal Corporation, and Calcutta Electricity Supply covering services such as utilities, the internet, phone, DTH, insurance, and even government services. T.R. Ramachandran, Group Country Manager, India and South Asia, **Visa** , said, “The core idea that binds technology and payments is simplicity and convenience, and QR code is a great example. Having pioneered QR technology as low-cost payments solution for open loop networks, and having worked with the government and the industry in developing BharatQR, Visa’s endeavour is to grow the acceptance network for BharatQR in the country and make digital payments accessible to all. This is a strong testimony to our open collaboration with the innovation ecosystem to drive, frictionless payments that empower millions of lives.” Ajay Kaushal, Co-founder, BillDesk said, “BillDesk is delighted to engage with Visa to promote BharatQR. This is a simple yet powerful solution with great potential to shift consumers and merchants from cash to digital payments for everyday spends.  It provides the speed, security and convenience that cash payments cannot match.  Merchant interest in and demand for **BharatQR** is growing for it is simpler, faster, and more reliable ways to accept digital payments with BharatQR. We will continue to collaborate with Visa to enable online merchants for BharatQR acceptance and simplify digital payments for consumers.”