A QR code (Quick Response code) is a two-dimensional barcode that stores information — a website URL, contact details, a payment address, or anything else that can be expressed as text. Your phone's camera reads it instantly by analyzing the pattern of black and white squares.

What's actually inside a crypto QR code?

When OrangeTill generates a QR code for a Bitcoin payment, the code contains a payment URI — a specially formatted string that tells your wallet app everything it needs to complete the transaction:

Example Bitcoin payment URI (what's encoded in the QR code)

bitcoin:bc1qxy2kgdygjrsqtzq2n0yrf2493p83kkfjhx0wlh?amount=0.00042&label=Coffee+Shop

This tells the wallet: send 0.00042 BTC to this address, labeled "Coffee Shop." The customer's wallet app pre-fills all of this automatically when they scan.

Why QR codes are perfect for Bitcoin payments

Bitcoin addresses are long (34+ characters), case-sensitive, and a single typo sends funds to the wrong place permanently. Typing them by hand is error-prone and impractical at a point of sale.

A QR code eliminates all of that. The customer points their camera at the code, their wallet app reads the address, amount, and label automatically, and all they do is tap "Send." No typing. No errors. No confusion about which address or how much.

Hodl says
OrangeTill generates a fresh QR code for every transaction — with the exact dollar amount converted to crypto at the live rate. No manual math, no stale codes. Just scan and send.

Does the customer need a special app to scan crypto QR codes?

The customer needs a Bitcoin wallet app — not just a regular QR scanner. A standard camera app will read the QR code but won't know what to do with a Bitcoin payment URI. A wallet app like Muun, Blue Wallet, Exodus, or Coinbase recognizes the payment format and pre-fills the send form automatically.

Questions

Can I screenshot a QR code and scan it later? ▼
Yes — a screenshot of a QR code works just as well as the live screen. Some wallet apps even let you scan from the camera roll. However, crypto QR codes are generated with the live rate at the moment of the transaction, so a saved screenshot from earlier in the day would have a different (stale) amount.
Are QR codes safe? Could a bad QR code steal my crypto? ▼
A QR code is just data — it can't run code or access your wallet on its own. The risk with crypto QR codes is scanning a fraudulent code that points to a scammer's address instead of the merchant's. Always verify the amount and address in your wallet app before tapping Send. OrangeTill generates QR codes directly from the merchant's saved wallet address, so the risk of a substituted address at a legitimate business is minimal.

Scan. Send. Done.

OrangeTill generates a fresh QR code for every transaction. Customers scan with their wallet app and the payment arrives directly in your wallet.

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