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Luno Pay Partners Scan to Pay to Support Crypto Payments at 700,000 Retail Outlets in South Africa

Luno Pay Partners Scan to Pay to Support Crypto Payments at 700,000 Retail Outlets in South Africa

A new partnership enables crypto payments at Shoprite, Makro, Vodacom and more, with instant settlements.

Written by Rahul Dhingra, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 9 October 2025 11:00 IST

Luno Pay Partners Scan to Pay to Support Crypto Payments at 700,000 Retail Outlets in South Africa

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Eswatini Photography

Shoppers in South Africa can now scan QR codes to pay with crypto at nationwide retail stores.

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Highlights

South Africa pushes forward with mainstream crypto adoption
Transactions converted instantly, avoiding volatility
Global crypto adoption experiments include El Salvador, Vietnam, Ukraine

Customers in South Africa can now use cryptocurrency for everyday purchases at nearly 700,000 retail outlets across the country, due to a new partnership between Luno Pay and the Scan to Pay network, facilitated by MoneyBadger. Customers can now pay with Bitcoin and stablecoins at major chains like Shoprite, Checkers, Makro, and Vodacom, with the help of this integration. Since transactions are settled instantly, consumers have easier access to cryptocurrency-based payments across South Africa, and hence, the merchants are protected from volatility risks. This decision marks one of the largest retail expansions for crypto payments in Africa to date.

QR Code Integration to Simplify Crypto Payments Across Major Retailers

The payment process works by linking a user's crypto wallet to the Scan to Pay system, allowing shoppers to complete transactions by scanning a QR code at checkout. Before the money reaches the merchant, it is converted to South African rand as part of the backend settlement process. MoneyBadger says that the setup removes the exposure to crypto price fluctuations for retailers while preserving the benefits of digital asset payments for customers.

Crypto adoption in the retail sector has been growing steadily worldwide. While Turkey is considering anti-money laundering rules, giving regulators the authority to freeze questionable cryptocurrency accounts, El Salvador became the first nation to accept Bitcoin as legal tender.

Dubai’s VARA Fines 19 Crypto Firms for Unlicensed Operations

Vietnam has taken symbolic steps with projects like a proposed Satoshi Nakamoto statue, and Ukraine has moved closer to formal legislation recognizing digital assets. Collectively, these developments indicate how governments are experimenting with approaches to integrate cryptocurrencies into mature economies.

South Africa's regulatory environment has also been shifting. The Financial Conduct Authority (FSCA) classifies crypto assets as financial products, bringing them under the purview of financial regulations. As a result, local service providers must apply for licences and adhere to anti-money laundering regulations.

Since money transfer and digital payments are already vital to the African economy, the partnership between the partnership between Luno Pay, MoneyBadger, and Scan to Pay may signal an enormous shift in the country's use of cryptocurrencies. By enabling widespread access to crypto-based transactions in everyday retail, these companies could use South Africa as a testing ground for broader integration of digital assets into financial systems across the country.

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Further reading: crypto adoption, Cryptocurrency, South Africa

Rahul Dhingra

Email Rahul Dhingra

Rahul Dhingra is a crypto writer at Gadgets 360, where he covers the exciting world of Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, Defi and Web3. Before joining Gadgets 360, he worked as a content specialist for a European-based Crypto Exchange. Rahul loves storytelling, not just through the written word but also through the visual medium. Beyond his professional life, Rahul is a sports fanatic. Whether it’s cricket or football, his passion for the game is contagious. More