Connecting the physical and the digital

We use QR Codes to create open ecosystems  -  A single QR Code for any use case and any client

OpenQR is built on a set of open standards that anyone can use

Check out the Standards

About Us

OpenQR was created as a commercial platform to promote adoption of the OpenQR standards. We wanted to demonstrate that there is real value in open ecosystems that make life easier for customers. A solution doesn't have to be proprietary to create real value.
The team of creators behind OpenQR have worked in many industries, from banking to retail, and have many specialities, from payments to products. OpenQR reflects this and is built on the idea of connecting different processes, participants and physical contexts in disruptive ways.
OpenQR was establised to support:
  • Making technology more human by integrating the digital with the physical
  • Consumer centricity through the use of explicit and informed consent
  • The creation of open ecosystems that any credible participant can join
  • A high degree of security and compliance to ensure trust
  • Flexibility, in how participants connect and the processes that can be targeted

What does OpenQR actually do?

OpenQR is a service that uses QR Codes to support any activity that blends a physical location with a digital service. QR Codes are created for a variety of purposes and then, when scanned, a connection is made that can allow a business process to proceed.

What makes OpenQR different is that the QR Code presentation system and the scanning app can be created by different organisations. OpenQR allows these organisations to securely connect and communicate, like any web browser can read any web site.

Here are some example use cases:

Paying for something is getting complex. While paying, you may want to register a loyalty card, redeem a coupon, partial pay with a gift card and then select a variety of payment methods.

Using OpenQR you can scan in at a Point-Of-Sale, using a compliant app of your choice that already holds all of your details and preferences. Once you have scanned, your loyalty number, coupons, gift cards and preferred payment instrument are all used automatically.

If your purchase contains alcohol you could also consent for your proof of age to be transferred at the same time saving an extra step.

The customer simply scans and walks away.

A static OpenQR code is created and added to a marketing poster. I scan that poster with any compliant app and accept the offer being made, storing it for later.

I meet a friend for coffee and decided to trade my coupon for one of theirs. I present an OpenQR code using my app, they scan it and we exchange offers.

Later, while at checkout, the I present a single use OpenQR code using my app. Once scanned by the merchant all my stored coupons are checked and any that are valid for the current purchase are automatically redeemed.

It is trivial to create a QR Code that will link you to human readableinformation on the web. Making this information usable by another service is much harder.

Imagine you put an OpenQR on your business card.

Depending on what app is used to scan your card, and the consent you provide, could have different effects:

  • A simple reader would navigate to your LinkedIn profile
  • An address book app would download your details and create a contact
  • An accounting app would download your details and register your company details and remittance information
  • A calendar app would obtain your public calendar details and allow for a meeting to be organised

Our Services

Present OpenQR Codes

Create static and dynamic QR Codes that support the OpenQR standards for any registered profile.

Easily integrate these codes with your existing systems.

Consume OpenQR Codes

Participate in the OpenQR ecosystem by being able to read OpenQR compliant QR Codes.

We provide SDKs, APIs and advice to integrate with your existing apps and services.

Certification & Trust

Trust is critical to any open ecosystem.

We provide a central certification service that you can use to trust OpenQR producers and consumers.

Advice & Support

This is a new space and we are passionate about expanding the ecosystem.

If you want to implement the standards yourself we can still help with advice and support.

Want to know more?

Contact us so we can discuss how we can help you. The more creative your problem, the more intereseted we are.

Contact Us

Open Standards

The OpenQR platform is built upon a set of open standards that have been developed by a number of participants in the payments industry in Australia.

While the initial goal of this group was to create an open set of standards that would support payments specifically, the resulting standards are generic and able to support a wide range of use cases.

These standards have been made publicly available under and open source license and public contributions are invited to the ongoing evolution and expansion of the standards. The OpenQR platform is built in compliance with these standards but they are proprietary.

The standards currently include support for:
  • End to end interactions between a QR Code Provider (the one publishing the code) and a QR Code Consumer (the one scanning the code)
  • Support for use case specific profiles, such as payments, location check-in and information sharing
  • Information Security controls to secure communication between QR Code Providers and QR Code Consumers
  • Participant discovery mechanisms to allow interactions between participants that are not previously known to each other
  • Support for external certification services that can provide an optional layer of participant trust
Open QR Standards Repository

Release history of the OpenQR Standards

Below are the details of the most up to date release of the standards and a brief summary of the more recent updates to the standards:

Latest Release

Release v1.0.0, Feb 2023

Formal version 1 of the standards

Incorporates:

  • Separation of the Session concept into two separate concepts of Offer and Session
  • Rename of the QR ID to Offer ID
  • Additional clarification of concepts
Go To Release

Release History

Formal version 1 of the standards

Incorporates:

  • Separation of the Session concept into two separate concepts of Offer and Session
  • Rename of the QR ID to Offer ID
  • Additional clarification of concepts
Go To Release

First draft release of the standard. Covers:

  • Full end to end interaction with support for use case specific profiles
  • Information Security controls to secure communication between providers and consumers of QR Codes
  • Participant discovery mechanisms to allow interactions between participants that are not previously known to each other
  • Support for external certification services that can provide an optional layer of participant trust
  • Support for a 'Core Profile' that acts as the base for all other profiles
  • Support for a 'Payments' profile designed to be used during a physical or online payment interaction
Go To Release

First publicly published version of the standards

Go To Release

Contributing to the standards

The Open QR Standards are free for anyone to contribute to.

Guidance on the logistics for making a contribution to the standards can be found Wiki associated with the GitHub repository.

Contribution Guidance

To maintain a product environment for all contributors a code of conduct for those engagement with the standards has been created.

Code Of Conduct

Contact Us

To find out more about the future of customer transactions.

Getting Started

If you're looking to get started here is some advice on next steps.
Getting started with OpenQR

The best way to get started with the OpenQR platform and see how it can help you and your customers is to contact us.

Contact Us
Understanding the Standards

The Open QR Standards are hosted on GitHub and provide documentation on how to understand and apply the standards.

Learn More
Implementing the Standards

The Open QR Standards site has information on how to get started with building your own implementation.

Learn More