PayPal began making QR codes available to buyers and sellers on its app across several of its major markets, a move the company promoted as aiding contactless payments in the era of social distancing.

The functionality is being rolled out from today (19 May) in countries including the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Hong Kong and Sweden.

Using its app, PayPal customers can download a QR code to make a payment. For an initial period seller transaction fees are being waived for those using the system.

PayPal SVP John Kunze said: “Our rollout of QR codes for buyers and sellers incorporates the safety, security and convenience of using PayPal in person and enables ongoing social distancing requirements and safety preferences for in-person commerce.”

Use of QR codes on PayPal’s platforms are nothing new. Prior to its latest announcement, PayPal supported their use for several of its brands in the US, including retailers with a merchant account and on its Venmo mobile payments app.

The company first tried to make a major push on promoting QR codes in 2013 when it was still part of eBay. At the time it announced the expected global launch of its Payment Code service in Q1 2014, though after an initial burst of marketing it went quiet and it is unclear if the service ever commercially launched in the form and scale it expected.