Where Can You Pay by QR Ph in the Philippines? 7-Eleven, SM, Puregold and More (2026)
7-Eleven says 98% of its stores take digital payments including QR Ph, SM malls take GCash QR from supermarket to parking, and markets and tricycles are joining. Where cash still wins, checked on 3 November 2026.
Quick answer: QR Ph works at most chains a visitor uses: 7-Eleven says 98% of its stores accept digital payments including QR Ph (July 2026), SM malls take GCash QR in supermarkets, food and retail shops, cinemas and parking, and public markets and tricycles are joining under the central bank's Paleng-QR Ph programme. Cash still wins on jeepneys, at many tricycles and sari-sari stores and on small islands, so look for the QR Ph sticker and ask at the counter (as of 3 November 2026).
Key takeaways
- 7-Eleven: yes, almost everywhere. 98% of stores accept digital payments, including QR Ph, e-wallets and cards (Philippine Seven, July 2026).
- Malls and big chains: usually. SM, Puregold, Watsons and Jollibee have documented GCash or Maya QR payments; check the counter for the QR Ph mark.
- Grab is different. You pay inside the Grab app, not by scanning a QR Ph code in the car.
- Markets and tricycles: growing, not universal. Paleng-QR Ph is moving vendors and drivers to QR, town by town.
You need water, sunscreen and a Grab to the pier, and your wallet holds one ₱1,000 note. In Manila that is no longer a problem: most of the places on that list will take a QR code. The question is which ones, and where the sticker on the counter stops and the coin tray takes over. Here is what each chain has said publicly, with dates, so you know before you queue.
Which shops accept QR Ph?
| Place | QR payment | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| 7-Eleven | Yes, 98% of stores | QR Ph, e-wallets, cards, Google Pay (BitPinas, July 2026) |
| SM malls | Yes, GCash QR mall-wide | Supermarkets, food, retail, cinemas, parking (Philstar, 2022) |
| Puregold | GCash QR and barcode | All stores GCash-enabled (GMA News, 2019); check the counter |
| Watsons | Maya scan to pay, GCash | Maya Watsons guide; GCash at self-checkout (Philstar, 2023) |
| Jollibee | Maya partner merchant | Listed on Maya's scan-to-pay page; ask for QR at the counter |
| Mercury Drug | Maya partner merchant | Listed on Maya's scan-to-pay page |
| Grab | In the Grab app | GrabPay wallet; no QR Ph scan in the car |
| Markets, tricycles | Growing | Paleng-QR Ph (BSP and DILG), town by town |
Where a source is older than 2026, it is the latest chain-specific report we could open. Branches differ, so when unsure: many branches show a QR Ph sticker, check at the counter.
Does 7-Eleven accept QR Ph?
Yes. Philippine Seven Corp., which runs 7-Eleven in the Philippines, said in July 2026 that 98% of its stores now accept digital payments, up from just over 1,000 stores at the end of 2025 to about 4,000 by May 2026 (BitPinas, Fintech News Philippines). Accepted methods: credit and debit cards, QR Ph, e-wallets and Google Pay; Apple Pay is planned.
The chairman said early reliability problems were fixed and the tills now handle both merchant-displayed QR codes and customer barcodes. GCash's barcode payment at 7-Eleven dates back to 2020, when it covered more than 2,800 stores (Philstar). If the QR fails, the store takes cash and cards.
Do SM, Puregold, Watsons and Jollibee take QR Ph?
- SM malls: GCash QR works across SM malls nationwide, including supermarkets, food and retail tenants, cinemas and parking, and 8 in 10 SM stores accepted cashless options including QR Ph by December 2022 (Philstar; SM Supermalls).
- Puregold: its president said all stores were GCash-enabled for "cashless payments via QR code and barcode" (GMA News, September 2019). We found no newer Puregold notice on QR Ph, so check the counter.
- Watsons: Maya publishes a scan-to-pay guide for Watsons, and its 1,000th store's self-checkout took GCash, PayMaya and cards (Philstar, February 2023).
- Jollibee and Mercury Drug: both appear on Maya's list of partner merchants for scan to pay. Jollibee was also an Apple Pay launch merchant in August 2026 (Apple).
Because QR Ph is interoperable, a GCash or Maya code with the QR Ph mark can be paid from any participating app.
Can you pay Grab with QR Ph?
Not by scanning in the car. Grab's Philippine page says rides, GrabFood and GrabExpress are paid through the GrabPay wallet in the app, topped up by card, online banking, ATM, in store or through your driver. Our Grab payment methods guide covers the options for visitors. QR Ph is for the shop at the destination, not the ride there.
Where does cash still win?
QR is spreading fast: the BSP counted 2.47 billion QR Ph payments in 2025, more than debit and credit cards, and merchant locations grew 36.3% (Daily Tribune, 19 August 2026). The Paleng-QR Ph programme of the BSP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government brings market vendors and tricycle drivers onto QR Ph; Botolan, Zambales joined on 29 April 2026 (Daily Tribune). But coverage depends on the town.
- Jeepneys: coins, passed forward.
- Many tricycles and sari-sari stores: small notes, unless you see a laminated QR card.
- Small islands and boat tours: cash first.
Read how to pay tricycles, jeepneys and sari-sari stores and cash or card in the Philippines.
How can a visitor pay these QR Ph codes?
With GCash GTourist if your country is listed, or with Fizen QR Pay, which scans the same QR Ph codes for travellers and foreigners; the merchant receives pesos. Create or import your Fizen wallet, get USDT on Solana or BNB Chain into it, deposit from the wallet into QR Pay and pass KYC (per wallet and per device), then scan and confirm. BNB Chain deposits need no gas; Solana needs a little SOL. USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. Limits: US$800 per payment, US$1,000 per week. Steps: QR Pay getting started. Not for residents of the Philippines.
Your money. Your freedom. No borders. The Fizen wallet is self-custody. QR Pay works differently: USDT you move into QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms, so only move in what you plan to spend. New app users also get a US$10 travel eSIM gift.
Frequently asked questions
Does 7-Eleven accept QR Ph?
Yes. Philippine Seven said in July 2026 that 98% of its stores accept digital payments, including QR Ph, e-wallets, cards and Google Pay.
Does Puregold accept QR Ph payment?
Puregold said in 2019 that all its stores were GCash-enabled for QR code and barcode payments. We found no newer notice, so look for the QR Ph sticker at the counter.
Is there a QR Ph merchant list?
No single public list. GCash and Maya publish partner merchants; the practical test is the QR Ph mark on the counter, which any participating app can pay.
Can I pay a tricycle by QR?
Sometimes. The Paleng-QR Ph programme gives drivers QR Ph codes town by town, but most tricycles still expect small notes. Agree the fare first.
Can tourists pay QR Ph without GCash?
Yes, with Fizen QR Pay, which pays QR Ph codes from USDT for travellers and foreigners, up to US$800 per payment and US$1,000 per week.
See the QR Ph sticker? Scan it
Your money. Your freedom. No borders. Fizen, the stablecoin neobank for travelers, digital nomads and online workers. Fizen QR Pay is for travellers and foreigners in the Philippines and Vietnam: deposit USDT on Solana or BNB Chain from your Fizen wallet, scan the QR Ph code at 7-Eleven, the mall or the market stall and confirm the amount in pesos, up to US$800 per payment and US$1,000 per week.
Terms and conditions
- Information only. This article is information only, not an offer or sale, and not financial, legal, tax or investment advice. Acceptance varies by branch and changes; check at the counter before you rely on anything here.
- For readers in the United States. This is information only, not an offer or sale, and not advice. Fizen products and services are not offered to US Persons.
- QR Pay availability. QR Pay is for cross-border use by travellers and foreigners in Vietnam and the Philippines only, and is not available to residents of those countries in their own country. It is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain; USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. KYC (per wallet and per device), KYT, AML and sanctions checks apply. The Fizen wallet is self-custody; USDT you move into QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms, so only move in what you plan to spend.
- Independent. Fizen is not affiliated with 7-Eleven, SM, Puregold, Watsons, Jollibee, Mercury Drug, Grab, GCash, Maya or the BSP. No merchant named here has agreed to accept any Fizen product; acceptance is through QR Ph.
Sources
- BitPinas, 7-Eleven expands cashless payments across nearly all Philippine stores, 21 July 2026
- Fintech News Philippines, 7-Eleven cashless payments, QR Ph and Apple Pay, 20 July 2026
- Philstar, 7-Eleven, GCash team up for barcode transactions, 23 February 2020
- Philstar (The Freeman), Mall giant taps GCash to enable QR payments, 7 December 2022
- SM Supermalls, SM hosts webinar on cashless payments for MSME partners, 12 December 2022
- GMA News, GCash, Puregold tie-up for cash-in service via barcode, 10 September 2019
- Maya, Pay with QR and partner merchants (read 3 November 2026)
- Maya, Scan to Pay at Watsons
- Philstar, Watsons unveils the future of retail in its 1,000th store, 15 February 2023
- Apple Newsroom Philippines, Apple Pay launches in the Philippines, 4 August 2026
- Grab Philippines, GrabPay (read 3 November 2026)
- Daily Tribune, BSP: digital payments nearly two thirds of retail volume, 19 August 2026
- Daily Tribune, Botolan launches Paleng-QR Ph Plus, 30 April 2026
Checked on 3 November 2026. 7-Eleven figures are from July 2026; SM, Puregold and Watsons are the latest chain-specific announcements we could open (2019 to 2023), so check at the counter. Apple Pay merchants are from Apple's 4 August 2026 announcement, which does not mention foreign-issued cards.
