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Comment by c0nsumer | Hacker News Reader

It's a whole lot easier to slap QR codes on things than getting NFC tags and applying them.

On the other hand, QR code payment systems only work while the user has a good network connection.

NFC payment terminals can work while the user's device is offline, like rural areas with poor cellular coverage. Not to mention tap-and-pay cards that don't even need a battery.

(Note: The few cases in the US I've seen QR code based payments, it's been for things like Alipay at a traditional point of sale terminal - which would also have a traditional card terminal with NFC reader. I could see QR codes being useful in other contexts, like paying a paper bill that came in the mail.)

In Europe these QR codes are also printer on invoices

I live in Southern California and I pay via QR codes printed on the receipt at some restaurants.

It is very convenient.

How many bits are in the NFC token? Or is it more complex handshakes?

It’s a complex handshake, very closely related to the same one used for the EMV chip used on modern credit cards.

First, offline only works when an institution chooses to extend credit to the user. That's not nearly as widespread in other countries as it is in the US. Second, QR codes don't need a battery either. Third, having someone send money (i.e. authenticated user actively tells their provider/network to send money) is far superior to having merchants take money (i.e. charge a CC, even over NFC, even with temporary CC numbers).

Not necessarily. Debit cards in the UK can be trusted to work offline as certain "ceiling" is saved to the card with nearly every transaction, saying ok the owner has 10.000 in the bank, they probably have enough to cover a 4 GBP coffee (yes it's still technically credit but really?)

Exactly. As you said, that is credit. And it is not available to consumers in most other countries.

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