Denso Wave developed the high-speed QR code technology

The QR code, a type of two-dimensional code, was developed by the Japanese company Denso Wave. The name 'QR' stands for 'Quick Response,' reflecting the technology's design goal of high-speed reading.

Compared to traditional one-dimensional barcodes, QR codes offer several advantages, including the ability to store significantly larger amounts of data—up to 7,089 digits—and support for various characters such as Kanji and Hiragana. They feature high reading accuracy due to three positioning squares and include error correction capabilities that allow data recovery even if the code is up to 30% damaged or dirty.

A key factor in the global adoption of QR codes was the decision by Denso Wave to make the technology royalty-free. This accessibility, combined with the ability to be read by smartphone cameras, has facilitated widespread use in contactless payments and web redirection. In Japan, code-based payments reached 16.6 trillion yen in 2025, accounting for 10.2% of all cashless transactions.