Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma said Merchant side payment QR is one of the things that India gave to the rest of the world.
Responding to a post on X by Epic Maps asking, What's the one thing that India gave to the world, Sharma said, "Merchant side payment QR :: the Paytm QR. Even in China, they launched after India. (China used: consumer shows QR to pay, till Paytm launched and made merchants have QR for consumers to scan.)”
The statement drew praise from users who credited the technology for transforming everyday commerce. Randhir Kumar commented, “Innovation is not who invented first, but who made it work for millions. Merchant QR in India changed everyday commerce.” Another user, Anurag Prasoon, added, “Genuinely, it changed the way we do payment.”
Replying to a comment, Sharma added that, "Planning for Indian scale and costs Paytm launched merchants QR in India before china did. (It is what became UPI QR later) That's how you got the universal mobile payment acquiring in whole South East Asia! This is not china model of QR payments!"
A UPI merchant QR code allows customers to scan and pay instantly using any UPI-enabled app, linking payments directly to the merchant's bank account. This innovation has reduced cash handling, enabled secure transactions, and accelerated India's shift toward a digital economy.
Market Veteran Samir Arora also lauded the statement.
Paytm Transfers Offline Merchant Business To PPSL Post RBI's Nod For Payment Aggregator Licenseðððð
— Samir Arora (@Iamsamirarora) December 23, 2025
