BlockBeats news: On January 19, WalletConnect CEO Jess Houlgrave announced a collaboration with Ingenico to launch stablecoin payment functionality on POS terminals. The initial rollout will make WalletConnect Pay available on Ingenico terminals for acquirers and payment service providers starting in January 2026. The first batch of merchants is expected to gradually launch the service in Europe during the first and second quarters of 2026, with further expansion planned as payment service providers (PSPs) progressively enable the service within their merchant networks.
Bypass traditional banks and credit card networks through "on-chain direct payment." This service is integrated as an additional "tag/app" to existing POS systems: after users scan a QR code, they can select a blockchain (e.g., SOL, ETH) and complete a signature in wallets like MetaMask to finish the on-chain payment. Some view this as a significant breakthrough for on-chain assets to enter offline consumption scenarios. However, the current process still heavily relies on users proactively informing cashiers and manually completing multiple steps.