Crypto at the point of sale
- Author
- CRYPTO PORT Editorial
- Published
- Updated
- Reading time
- 4 min
In short
At the till, crypto payment usually means the register shows a QR code that the customer scans and pays from a wallet. Unlike a card, it does not always clear in seconds, so how long to wait for confirmation becomes the operational question. Staff need a procedure that leaves no room for guessing.
Key points
- The register shows a QR code; the customer pays from a wallet
- Unlike cards, confirmation can take noticeably longer
- Decide in advance how long staff wait before releasing goods
- Weak connectivity in-store can leave payments incomplete
Definition
Accepting crypto payments at a physical checkout, combining a QR code that presents the destination with a defined procedure for confirming receipt.
The flow: the register generates a QR code carrying the amount and destination, the customer scans and sends, and the gateway detects receipt and tells the register it is done. Most services can convert to fiat at that moment and pay the merchant's bank account.
The main operational issue is waiting. On chains requiring confirmations this can run to minutes, which is untenable with a queue at the till. A workable rule is a value threshold: release small purchases before finality, wait for it above a set amount.
The second issue is connectivity. If the customer has no signal, or the in-store Wi-Fi drops, the payment never completes. Anything advertised as a payment method needs a documented fallback, or the checkout simply stalls.
Watch out for
- · If you release goods before confirmation, set a hard value ceiling
- · Refunds for mistakes or overpayments are manual and not immediate
- · When the quoted rate expires, the customer has to scan again