News

Advancing Cashless IoT for Smarter Self-Service

2026-09-11

Advancing Cashless IoT for Smarter Self-Service

Enhanced ePayment, cloud management, and connected IoT applications for vending, entertainment, and beyond.

As payment habits evolve, self-service devices must evolve with them—becoming smarter, more connected, and easier to manage.

Last year, we introduced our Cashless IoT Solution for beverage vending machines, combining cashless payments, device connectivity, and cloud management to help traditional coin-operated equipment evolve into smarter self-service solutions.

This year, we are taking the solution further. In addition to enhanced ePayment, cloud-platform capabilities, and advanced device connectivity for beverage vending, the same architecture now supports a broader range of IoT applications—including claw machines, capsule toy machines, gift and prize machines, arcade games, and change machines.
 

## Advanced Applications at Expo 2026

At Expo 2026 in June, we demonstrated advanced Cashless IoT applications in action, showing how payment, device control, reliable connectivity, and cloud operations can work together across different self-service environments.

The live demonstrations received enthusiastic customer feedback. Visitors showed strong interest in deployment models for different scenarios, as well as in potential follow-up collaboration. The response confirmed a clear market direction: adding e-payment is only the first step. Operators increasingly expect devices to be connected, remotely manageable, data-driven, and ready for continuous service optimization.

## Global Momentum for Cashless, Connected Self-Service

Cashless payment is becoming a core capability for self-service and entertainment equipment worldwide.

In Japan, the cashless payment ratio reached **42.8% in 2024**, exceeding the government’s original 40% target.[1] In the United States, cashless transactions represented **63% of sales** for amusement and gaming machines in 2023.[2]

Europe is also moving toward connected operations: its vending sector had approximately **5 million machines** in 2024, while **85% of paid vending equipment** was fitted with cashless payment systems.[3] In Taiwan, mobile payments accounted for **11.2%** of retail consumer payments in 2023, up from 0.6% in 2017; meanwhile, transactions on the national small-ticket payment platform rose **26.45% year on year** in 2025.[4][5]

These trends show that the future of self-service equipment goes beyond completing a payment. It is about real-time connectivity, remote operations, service visibility, and data-driven improvement.

## Expanding from Smart Vending to Smart Entertainment

A key advancement this year is the expansion of our original vending-focused architecture into smart entertainment and other self-service applications.

With our Cashless Device Controller, existing claw machines, capsule toy machines, gift machines, arcade games, and change machines can be upgraded with **QR Code / NFC modules and readers**. The controller supports common legacy interfaces such as pulse, relay, and solenoid control, allowing operators to modernize existing coin-operated equipment without replacing the entire machine.

For users, payment and activation become faster and more intuitive. For operators, pricing, game settings, and service functions can be managed more efficiently across multiple devices and locations.

## Flexible Payment and Reliable Connectivity

Our solution supports two flexible payment flows:

- **MPM (Merchant-Presented Mode):** Users scan the QR Code displayed on the device. Once payment is completed, the machine starts automatically.
- **CPM (Customer-Presented Mode):** The device scans the user’s payment QR Code or NFC credential to complete the transaction.

To support single machines and multi-device environments, we provide industrial 4G/5G routers, PoE and industrial switches, and Wi-Fi 6/Wi-Fi 7 access points. Features including SIM/eSIM, Dual-WAN, failover, and VPN help maintain secure, reliable data connectivity for vending locations, amusement venues, retail spaces, and distributed self-service sites.

## Acelink Cloud: Better Visibility, Smarter Operations

As device fleets grow, cloud management becomes essential. Acelink Cloud provides centralized management across multiple sites, including:

- Real-time device status and alerts  
- Payment transactions and revenue reports  
- Remote configuration and OTA firmware updates  
- Usage records and operational insights  
- Secure boot, authentication, and encrypted communication  

Instead of relying only on on-site inspections, operators can monitor device performance, respond to exceptions earlier, reduce downtime, and continually improve the customer experience.

## Building a Smarter Self-Service Network

Our Cashless IoT Solution is not simply about adding a payment option. It is an integrated, scalable architecture that brings together **payment, device control, connectivity, and cloud management**.

From beverage vending machines to claw machines, capsule toy machines, and a growing range of self-service applications, we help machine manufacturers, system integrators, and operators modernize existing equipment, deploy with greater flexibility, and build smarter service networks for the future.

**Smarter. Cashless. Connected.**  
Together, we are building the next generation of self-service experiences.

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### References

[1] [Japan METI — 2024 Cashless Payment Ratio]  
[2] [Cantaloupe — Micropayment Trends in Self-Service Retail 2024]
[3] [European Vending and Coffee Service Association — Market Report Summary]
[4] [Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs — Accelerating Digital Transformation in Retail]
[5] [National Credit Card Center of R.O.C. — Small Ticket Platform]