Scan & Pay with USDT
Pionex Scan to Pay lets you use USDT in your Payment Account to scan merchant QR codes and pay in local currency. No need to exchange cash or link a bank card — just open the Pionex App, scan, and pay.
Currently available in Vietnam via VietQR, covering over 2 million offline merchants — from chain convenience stores and cafes to street food stalls. More regions coming soon. Stay tuned.
Why Pionex Scan to Pay
- Pay directly with USDT, skip the hassle of currency exchange. No need to exchange local cash in advance or deal with high spreads at exchange counters. Pay local currency bills directly with the USDT in your account — the system converts in real time, giving your crypto real-world purchasing power.
- Zero payment fees. No cross-border payment fees or credit card foreign transaction fees (FTF). Convenient and cost-effective.
- National-level network access, with millions of merchants connected to national local payment aggregation networks. Unlike traditional international credit cards that only work at large retailers, you can scan any QR code and truly integrate into local life.
- No card needed, ready to use instantly. No card application required. As long as your Pionex Payment Account has a balance, just open the App, and it becomes your portable wallet — seamlessly bridging Web3 assets with real-world spending.
How to Use
Step 1: Top up your Payment Account
After activation, transfer USDT from your Main Account to your Payment Account.
How can I transfer funds to my Payment Account? On your Pionex App, click [More] → [Scan to Pay] → [Transfer]
Transfers are free and instant. Payment Account balance can be transferred back to your Main Account at any time. Once topped up, your balance starts earning 5% APY.
Tip: We recommend topping up a larger amount at once to avoid transferring before every purchase. Your Payment Account balance earns interest, so there’s no downside to keeping a balance.
Step 2: Scan to pay
Scan a supported QR code to pay:
- Open the Pionex App, tap the [Scan] icon on the homepage’s right upper corner, or click [More] on the homepage and select [Scan to Pay]
- Scan the merchant’s QR code
- For static QR codes, enter the payment amount manually; dynamic QR codes auto-fill the amount
- Confirm the merchant details and payment amount, then tap “Confirm Payment”
- Verify with biometric authentication to complete the payment.
Supported QR Codes and Regions
| Region | QR Code Standard | Status |
| Vietnam | VietQR, Momo | Live |
| Philippines | QRPH, InstaPay | Live |
| Brazil | Pix | Live |
| Argentina | Transferencias 3.0 (Interoperable QR) | Live |
| India | Payee UPI VPA | Live |
| Bolivia | Local QR Code | Live |
| Colombia | Local QR Code | Live |
| More Region | — | Coming Soon |
VietQR is the unified QR code payment standard promoted by the State Bank of Vietnam and NAPAS, integrated with over 55 banks and payment institutions across Vietnam. Offline merchant coverage is extensive, from large chain supermarkets to street stalls.
Transaction Limits
The following limits apply based on the merchant‘s country or region:
| Region | Minimum amount per transaction (USD) | Maximum amount per transaction (USD) | Daily Limit (USD) | Monthly Limit (USD) |
| Vietnam | 0.65 | 200 | 500 | 5,000 |
| Philippines | 0.65 | 200 | 500 | 5,000 |
| Brazil | 0.65 | 200 | 500 | 5,000 |
| Argentina | 1 | 200 | 500 | 5,000 |
| India | 1 | 20 | 500 | 5,000 |
| Bolivia | 0.65 | 200 | 500 | 5,000 |
| Colombia | 0.65 | 200 | 500 | 5,000 |
About the Payment Account
Scan to Pay uses the USDT balance in your Pionex Payment Account. The Payment Account shares a balance with your Visa card.
- Top-up method: Transfer USDT from your Main Account — free and instant
- Balance earns interest: 5% APY, paid hourly, auto-compounding
- Flexible funds: Balance can be transferred back to your Main Account at any time, no lock-up period
Why is a Payment Account needed? Fund transfers to the Payment Account are not subject to withdrawal review, enabling instant deductions. Fund changes in the Main Account go through risk control review, which is not suitable for real-time payment scenarios.
Security
We strongly recommend binding a Passkey
Passkey is the core security mechanism for Scan to Pay. It uses your device’s biometric authentication (fingerprint or face) to verify payments, replacing traditional payment passwords.
Advantages:
- One-step verification for each payment, no need to enter a password
- Keys are stored locally on your device, immune to phishing or remote attacks
- Even if your phone is lost, no one else can complete a payment using your biometrics
FAQ
Q: What currencies does Scan to Pay support?
A: Currently only USDT. If your balance is in other currencies, you can convert to USDT via Flash Swap on Pionex, then transfer to your Payment Account.
Q: What if my Payment Account balance is insufficient?
A: If your balance is insufficient at the time of payment, the system will guide you to quickly transfer USDT from your Main Account. After the transfer, you can continue paying without rescanning.
Q: Will I be charged if the payment fails?
A: No. USDT is only deducted after a successful payment. If an exception occurs during the fiat payment process, the frozen USDT will be automatically returned to your Payment Account.
Q: How is the exchange rate calculated?
A: The system displays the current reference exchange rate and estimated deduction at the time of payment. The actual deduction is based on the exchange rate at settlement. The rate includes conversion costs, and no additional fees are charged.
Q: Do I need to be local to use it?
A: No. You can scan a supported merchant’s QR code and complete payment from anywhere — there are no location restrictions.
Q: What’s the difference between static and dynamic QR codes?
A: A static QR code is permanently displayed by the merchant; after scanning, you need to enter the payment amount manually. A dynamic QR code is generated by the merchant for each transaction, with the amount already embedded — it auto-fills after scanning.
Q: How do I view my transaction history?
A: Click [More] in your Pionex App, select [Scan to Pay]. You can view all Scan to Pay transaction records, including payment amounts, deduction details, exchange rates, and order statuses.
