How to pay with crypto using Luno Pay

With Luno Pay, available in South Africa only, you can use crypto to buy groceries at the store or scan the QR code to pay for goods and services anywhere Luno Pay is available.

Tip

Discover how Luno Pay gives you crypto back on your purchases.

How to make your payment

  1. Check to see if there’s a Zapper or Scan to Pay QR code to scan. You may need to ask your cashier for the Contactless QR payment option or select it yourself on the point-of-sale device

    Note

    See some of the most popular merchants where you can use Luno Pay.

  2. On the Luno app, open your Home screen and select More

    Home screen quick action bar with the 'More' button highlighted

  3. Choose Scan
  4. Scan the QR code
  5. Review or enter the amount to be paid. Depending on the merchant, you may be asked to specify the payment amount or add an optional tip or a custom reference
  6. Select the crypto wallet you’d like to pay from (if you have more than one with sufficient balance)
  7. Enter your Luno PIN


Frequently asked questions

Where can I use Luno Pay?

Luno Pay is accepted nationwide in South Africa, in-store and online, at grocery outlets and other merchants via partners like Zapper and Scan to Pay.

Tip

Find out more about the most popular merchants where our customers are using Luno Pay.

Which cryptocurrencies can I pay with?

Most of the cryptocurrencies available on Luno can be used with Luno Pay. You'll see which options are available when you make a payment. This will vary depending on which of your crypto wallets have a sufficient balance to pay, as well as market conditions for each cryptocurrency.

How long do these payments take?

Making a payment with Luno Pay will take around the same amount of time it would take to pay with a credit card. Don’t worry, you won’t need to stand around waiting for blockchain confirmations.

Do I need to enable crypto sends first?

No, you’ll be able to scan the QR code and make your payment successfully without having to enable crypto sends first.

Are there any fees or limits?

Luno currently doesn’t charge any service fee for these payments.

The maximum transaction amount is R100,000. The maximum transaction amount for Pick n Pay payments is R9,999.99.

What happens if I need to return an item or get a refund?

The store would treat it as if you paid for the item in cash. In other words, you’d get the rand value back, not the crypto amount you paid. Their standard returns policy would also still be applicable here.

What are the tax implications when I pay for goods with crypto?

At the time of writing, SARS regards spending crypto for goods or services as a barter transaction, so the normal barter transaction rules would apply. Capital Gains Tax or Income Tax may apply, depending on your specific facts and circumstances. Please consult a tax professional if you need advice on this.

Tip

You can read more on the SARS Crypto Assets & Tax page.

Tell me more about the crypto-back reward programme

From 1 October, every time you pay with Luno Pay at any supported merchant, whether in-store or online, you’ll earn up to 10% back in crypto rewards

  • If you use your USDT wallet to pay, you’ll receive 10% back
  • If you choose to pay with Bitcoin, Ethereum or any other supported crypto, you’ll get 5% back

Tip

Learn more about how you can get crypto back when using Luno Pay.

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