Valu and PayTabs Egypt have partnered to roll out a smartphone-based merchant app that enables contactless payments without traditional point-of-sale hardware. The initiative targets Egypt’s fast-moving retail market, where merchants are seeking simpler, lower-cost digital checkout options. By combining PayTabs’ payments infrastructure with Valu’s merchant network, the collaboration aims to make in-store transactions faster, more secure, and fully paperless.
Partnership Overview
Under the agreement, Valu will integrate PayTabs Egypt’s QR-powered technology into a new Valu merchant app so retailers can accept payments directly from their phones. The solution replaces physical terminals with a software approach that is designed to be quicker to deploy and easier to maintain. The companies frame the move as a step toward wider financial inclusion by lowering barriers for small businesses to accept digital payments.
Technology and Features
The app generates dynamic QR codes that customers scan to complete purchases in seconds, enabling a contactless flow that suits crowded stores and on-the-go buyers. Transactions are secured within the PayTabs orchestration stack and are confirmed instantly, while merchants gain real-time reporting that improves visibility over daily takings. Rapid onboarding and a paperless experience are intended to reduce operational friction for new and existing merchants.
Market Context and Impact
Egypt’s retail landscape is shifting toward digital tender as consumers adopt mobile wallets and merchants search for flexible, compliant tools. Eliminating the need for specialized hardware can help smaller retailers manage costs while keeping pace with shopper expectations for quick checkout. The partners say the approach should scale across categories including electronics, fashion, and healthcare, where speed and transparency influence repeat business.
Leadership Commentary
PayTabs Egypt’s Vice President for Commercial and Business Development, Haytham Morsy, said the tie-up puts “powerful payment orchestration and mobile commerce tools in the hands of local merchants” who may not have had access before. He emphasized that a single smartphone can now accept payments “quickly and securely,” improving the checkout experience and opening growth opportunities. Omar Magdy, Valu’s Head of E-commerce and Payments, said leveraging QR technology removes entry barriers and costs, helping build “a smarter retail ecosystem where convenience, security, and innovation work hand in hand.”
Implementation and Availability
Valu’s merchant base will access the contactless capability through the Valu merchant app, with PayTabs’ backend handling authentication, routing, and confirmations. The setup is meant to be light on infrastructure, relying on existing Android devices to initiate and complete transactions. Merchants will be able to monitor sales, reconcile activity, and adjust operations through built-in analytics designed for everyday retail workflows.
Background on the Companies
Valu, which is listed on the Egyptian Exchange through its parent consumer finance platform, has been expanding digital commerce tools alongside its financing products. In September, the company and MobileMasr launched what they described as Egypt’s first peer-to-peer buy now, pay later service for pre-owned smartphones, signaling a push into broader retail enablement. PayTabs Egypt, recognized for payment orchestration and merchant solutions, supplies the QR rails and security layers that underpin the new acceptance experience.
By shifting acceptance to software and everyday smartphones, Valu and PayTabs Egypt are betting that contactless QR checkout can become a default in Egyptian stores. The model reduces hardware dependencies, tightens data feedback loops, and aligns with national goals for digital payments adoption. If merchant uptake matches expectations, the collaboration could accelerate the modernization of in-store commerce and widen access to electronic payments across the country.