More than 700 business outlets around the country are now accepting M-PAiSA QR payments over the counter.

Vodafone Fiji Head of eCommerce and Corporate Affairs, Shailendra Prasad says M-PAiSA is now a significant player in Fiji’s financial system, and approximately $50 million transactions are processed each month.

He says more than 154 businesses are also offering remote payment options from anywhere through the M-PAiSA mobile wallet.

Prasad says M-PAISA QR pay is fast becoming the preferred payment method for many businesses and small and medium enterprises have now jumped on the bandwagon for cashless payment options through the mobile phone.

He says cash is a barrier to trading when consumers run out of cash and there is no cash-out point nearby and it is a real issue for customers and businesses in rural and remote islands lacking banking and financial services.

The Head of eCommerce says with M-PAiSA QR payment options, there is no need to carry cash.

Over $13m is received in international money transfer from abroad each month directly into M-PAiSA and many of these are recipients in rural and maritime areas where there is a lack of cash-out points.