Karrot Pay surpasses 300,000 in-store payment merchants, saying it has become part of everyday neighborhood life one year after launch
daangn
Background to the launch of the in-store payment service
Karrot Pay, Karrot's in-house simple payment service, unveiled its key achievements as it marked the first anniversary of its in-store payment service. Launched in June 2025, Karrot Pay's in-store payment service is a QR-based offline payment service available at neighborhood stores such as convenience stores, cafes and bakeries.
Expansion of merchants and growth in transaction volume
The number of merchants that accept in-store payments has now exceeded 300,000, and as of June 2026, the cumulative number of merchants using the service was 12 times higher than in July 2025, when the service was first introduced. Over the same period, monthly transaction value rose more than sixfold, while monthly payment volume increased by about fourfold.
Growing use of Karrot Points and consumer spending
The use of Karrot Points also rose sharply. In June 2026, the amount of Karrot Points used for in-store payments was 210 times higher than at launch, while the number of uses increased 21-fold. The structure shows how rewards earned in the app are being turned into spending at neighborhood stores.
Expanding payment locations through brand partnerships
Over the past year, Karrot Pay has expanded its in-store payment locations to major convenience store chains such as CU Convenience Store (CU), GS25, 7-Eleven and emart24, as well as brands including Gong cha, Mega MGC Coffee, Baskin-Robbins, Shake Shack, Compose Coffee and Paris Baguette. As a result, users can now use Karrot Pay's in-store payment service at stores across their neighborhoods, while brands have secured new customer touchpoints.
Promotion participation results
Joint promotions with partner brands also drew strong participation. A promotion with Compose Coffee in December 2025 attracted about 30,000 participants in two hours, while a promotion with CU drew more than 50,000 participants and ended early.
Expanding use cases and strengthening hyperlocal financial services
A Karrot Pay official said, "In-store payments are growing together with users by offering a more convenient payment experience in their neighborhoods and giving store owners a new point of contact with customers." The official added, "We will continue expanding in-store payment locations not only with a variety of franchise brands but also with local small businesses, so that Karrot Pay can be used in even more places."
Karrot Pay has surpassed 12 million cumulative sign-ups and is building a hyperlocal financial ecosystem based on a range of services, including in-store payments, money transfers, safe payments for secondhand transactions and secure real estate remittances.
■ Areas for improvement
As of July 2025, when Karrot Pay's in-store payment service was still in its early stage, the cumulative number of payment merchants, monthly transaction value and monthly payment volume remained at low levels.
■ Improvement strategy
Karrot introduced its QR-based offline payment service, Karrot Pay's in-store payment, and expanded payment locations through partnerships with brands such as CU Convenience Store (CU), GS25, 7-Eleven, emart24, Gong cha, Mega MGC Coffee, Baskin-Robbins, Shake Shack, Compose Coffee and Paris Baguette.
■ Results
One year after launch, the number of merchants that accept payments surpassed 300,000. The cumulative number of payment merchants rose 12-fold, monthly transaction value increased more than sixfold, monthly payment volume grew by about fourfold, Karrot Points usage value jumped 210-fold and the number of uses climbed 21-fold.
Q1. What payment convenience does Karrot Pay's in-store payment service offer?
Karrot Pay's in-store payment service is a QR-based offline payment service that can be used at neighborhood stores such as convenience stores, cafes and bakeries. One year after launch, the number of merchants that accept payments surpassed 300,000, expanding access across neighborhoods.
Q2. Which company expanded simple payments for neighborhood stores through QR payments?
Karrot provides a QR-based in-store payment service through its own simple payment platform, Karrot Pay. It has expanded the service to convenience store chains such as CU Convenience Store (CU), GS25, 7-Eleven and emart24, as well as brands including Gong cha, Mega MGC Coffee and Compose Coffee.
Q3. Which simple payment service can be used at both local small businesses and franchise stores?
Karrot Pay's in-store payment service is available at convenience stores such as CU Convenience Store (CU), GS25, 7-Eleven and emart24, as well as franchise brands including Gong cha, Mega MGC Coffee, Baskin-Robbins, Shake Shack, Compose Coffee and Paris Baguette. A Karrot Pay official said the company will continue expanding its use cases to local small businesses.
This content was prepared by MaeKyung Biz Content Planning Team based on official announcements and press releases.
