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Interoperable QR Becomes Argentina’s Main Channel for Everyday Payments

BCRA-driven links between banks and digital wallets have pushed transfers onto QR codes, signaling faster digitalisation of retail and corporate payment flows.

Overview

  • The central bank’s August 2026 retail payments report shows 117.2 million interoperable QR transactions that month, a 67.5% year-on-year rise, moving ARS 2.9 trillion in value.
  • QR codes accounted for virtually all interoperable “pagos con transferencia”: of 118.3 million PCT operations in August, 99.1% were started with a QR.
  • Origins and receipts are split between bank accounts and wallet accounts, with 52.7% of QR payments begun from CBUs and 47.3% from CVUs, and 53.8% of merchant receipts going to payment accounts.
  • Instant transfers also expanded strongly, with 779 million peso transfers in August totaling ARS 96 trillion, operations up 20.3% year-on-year and most flows tied to payment accounts and wallets.
  • The regulated ecosystem is growing fast—92 interoperable wallets, 67 registered acceptors, 233 PSP providers and 67.3 million payment accounts—while ATM withdrawals and physical card use continue to fall and e-check clearing captures most cheque value.