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How the QR API works with personal QR

Enable fast, contactless in-store payments by scanning your customer's personal QR code from their Vipps or MobilePay app. This allows you to identify customers and send payment requests without asking for their phone number.

Flow diagram: 6-step in-store payment process. (1) Identify the customer (scan their personal QR). (2) Add the products to be purchased. (3) Send payment request. (4) Customer authorizes the payment. (5) Register the purchase and send a receipt. (6) Customer gets the receipt in the app.

1. Customer shows their personal QR code​

Every Vipps and MobilePay user has a personal QR code available in their app. The customer opens their app and displays their personal QR code.

Screenshot: Personal QR code screen in the app (Vipps or MobilePay), showing the customer's unique QR code ready to be scanned at checkout.

2. Merchant scans the QR code​

The cashier or the customer uses a QR scanner to scan the personal QR code. This can be done with:

  • Customer-facing scanner - A permanent scanner positioned for self-service
  • Cashier scanner - A handheld or wired scanner operated by store staff

Screenshot: A hand scanner at a point-of-sale terminal used to scan a customer's personal QR code from the app (Vipps or MobilePay).

3. Merchant exchanges QR code for phone number​

The scanned QR code contains a tokenized string (for MobilePay) or clear-text phone number (for current Vipps). The merchant's system calls the Personal QR exchange endpoint to get the customer's phone number.

Important

For MobilePay, you must use the exchange endpoint as the QR code is tokenized.

For Vipps, we strongly recommend using the exchange endpoint even though the phone number is currently in clear-text format. Vipps will move to tokenized QR codes in the future, and using the exchange endpoint ensures your integration continues working.

Request to exchange endpoint:

POST /qr/v1/exchange
{
  "qrCode": "https://qr.vipps.no/p/qwjhewqhueheuqwhuqwhe"
}

Response with phone number:

{
  "msisdn": "4712345678",
  "timestamp": 1634025600,
  "version": "2.0"
}

4. Merchant creates payment request​

Using the customer's phone number, the merchant creates a payment request through the ePayment API with:

  • userFlow set to PUSH_MESSAGE to send the payment directly to the customer's app
  • customerInteraction set to CUSTOMER_PRESENT (required for regulatory compliance)
  • Optional receipt.orderLines to display purchase details

See Personal QR feature for complete implementation details.

5. Customer receives and approves payment​

The payment request appears as a push notification on the customer's phone. They open their Vipps or MobilePay app and see the payment details, including any order line items sent by the merchant.

The customer reviews and approves the payment in their app.

6. Merchant completes the transaction​

After the customer approves the payment:

  • The merchant receives confirmation via webhook or by polling the payment status
  • The merchant captures the payment to complete the transaction
  • The customer receives their receipt

Technical implementation​

For detailed API specifications and code examples:

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