Shopify’s latest POS update adds five popular local payment options—Alipay, WeChat Pay, Satispay, Scalapay, and GrabPay—to the in‑store checkout experience. The new methods work directly through Shopify Payments, meaning merchants can turn them on with a few clicks and customers can pay by scanning a QR code. In this post we break down exactly what changed, who it impacts, and the concrete steps you need to take right now to start capturing more sales from local shoppers and tourists alike.
What’s New?
POS now supports five additional local payment methods for eligible stores: Alipay, WeChat Pay, Satispay, Scalapay, and GrabPay. When a merchant enables any of these, the checkout screen generates a QR code that the shopper scans with their mobile wallet. The transaction is processed entirely by Shopify Payments—no third‑party gateway or custom integration is required. Availability varies by country, but the feature is live globally for all supported regions.
Who Benefits – Merchants vs. Developers
Merchants – Any retailer using Shopify POS and Shopify Payments can instantly offer the new methods. This is especially valuable for brick‑and‑mortar shops in Asia, Europe, and Latin America where Alipay, WeChat Pay, or GrabPay dominate. The QR‑code flow reduces friction for shoppers who prefer mobile wallets over cash or cards, helping increase average order value and conversion rates.
Developers – While the feature does not require code changes to enable, developers building custom POS extensions, receipt printers, or inventory sync tools should be aware of the new payment objects that appear in the POS SDK. The payment status payload now includes a "payment_method" field that can be "alipay", "wechat_pay", "satispay", "scalapay", or "grabpay". Updating any logic that filters or displays payment methods will keep custom apps compatible.
How to Enable the New Methods in Shopify Admin
Once enabled, the POS checkout UI automatically adds a “Scan QR code to pay” option. No additional hardware or software is required.
Technical Considerations for POS Integrations
If you’ve built a custom POS extension using the Shopify POS SDK (iOS, Android, or Web), update your payment‑method handling logic. Below is a minimal snippet for the iOS SDK that logs the new method name:
swift
func pos(_ session: POSSession, didComplete transaction: POSTransaction) {
let method = transaction.paymentMethod?.identifier ?? "unknown"
print("Payment completed with method: \(method)")
// Example output: alipay, wechat_pay, satispay, scalapay, grabpay
}
For web‑based POS apps, the GraphQL posCheckoutCreate mutation now returns a paymentMethod field that can contain the new identifiers. Ensure any UI that filters out unsupported methods includes these values.
Finally, verify your tax and reporting settings. Shopify automatically maps each local method to the correct currency, but you may want to add a custom line‑item tag (e.g., "local‑payment") for downstream analytics.
Best Practices to Maximize Adoption
payment_method matches any of the new identifiers. Compare conversion rates before and after activation.Conclusion & Next Steps
The addition of Alipay, WeChat Pay, Satispay, Scalapay, and GrabPay to Shopify POS removes a major barrier for international shoppers and local customers who rely on mobile wallets. Merchants can enable the methods instantly, while developers should update any custom POS extensions to recognize the new payment identifiers. Start by turning on the methods that match your audience, train your staff, and track the impact on sales.
Ready to capture more in‑store revenue? Enable the new local payment options today and let your customers pay the way they prefer. Need help customizing your POS flow? Reach out to a Shopify Expert or drop a comment below.
