QR codes seem everywhere right now. From products in a grocery store to just about every business card or poster you come across. Just about everywhere you go you can expect to find at least one QR code.

But did you know that the people of China utilize QR codes far more than the states or Europe? From chat apps to payment programs, just about everything in China now integrates QR codes in some ways, to the point where it has become part of the culture.

In this piece I will go over some of the ways the people of China are currently using QR codes, as well as how the technology has affected the culture. So let’s get started!

What are QR codes?

QR codes are special encoded images that can be scanned with the camera of most smart devices. They work similarly to a traditional bar code that you might find on a product in a store and can be easily printed on a poster, flier, business card, label, sign, sticker, or other flat surface.

QR codes are highly customizable and versatile. Most commonly today, they are used as an easy way to access a URL link, but they can also be used to view text, documents, contact information, tracking, and more.

WeChat

WeChat is by far the most popular app and social media platform in China, with over 1 billion monthly active users and available on most devices in the region. The app goes far beyond being a simple messaging service, allowing users to view videos, create status updates, hold video conferences, and even pay for goods and services, more on that later.

The platform itself is hugely responsible for the widespread adoption of QR codes in China, as it uses them prominently in a variety of ways. Most notably, each user has a personal QR code linked to their account that can be easily scanned by another in order to open communications with them.

Payment

By far the most prominent usage of QR codes in China is as a payment method. Stores, vendors, individuals, and even homeless people all use QR codes in some way to exchange currency.

This is done by having the payer scan a code provided by the recipient. The payer then uses an app, like WeChat Pay or AliPay, to scan the code and provide payment.

Other uses

Chinese citizens can also use QR codes for:

Pet tracking
Wedding gifts
Product information
Package tracking
Job searches
Sharing contact information
Accessing websites
Installing apps

And more!

China’s largest QR codes

Over the years, there have been a lot of attempts worldwide to create the biggest and most impressive QR codes. But no country has had more attempts at the title than China. In a piece I did previously on the 8 biggest QR codes in the world, 3 of them were located in China.

These codes are the Taiping Life Insurance code, which previously held the record for largest QR code made of people, the tree maze code in Xilinshui, wish is a large hedge maze a person can walk through, and a massive code created by the students of Zhengzhou University, which holds the current record for largest code created by humans.

It’s no question whether or not a group in China will try to go for a record again, but in the meantime, if you want to learn more about these codes and several other impressive ones, then you can check out our piece on the world’s largest QR codes.

Conclusion

As you can see now, the prevalence of QR codes runs deep in China, more so than it does in America. Chinese citizens have used QR codes for communication, payment, tracking, job searches, and so much more, even going as far to create some of the biggest QR codes on earth!

This is not at all surprising, however, as QR codes are becoming more accessible and easy to create everyday. If you want to get started creating your own QR codes, then get started today with the free tools available from QR Code Developer! In addition, you can learn more aboutQR codes with some of the blogs featured on this very site.