What are the benefits of introducing cashless payment for real estate businesses? Dramatically improved initial costs, lost opportunities for rent recovery, and operational costs

Many people in charge of real estate companies are worried about "I want to accept rent by credit card", "I want to improve the convenience of tenants", and "I want to introduce cashless payment as an inbound support".

In this article, we will summarize the current status and benefits of cashless payment in the real estate industry, and explain in detail how to accept rent and initial costs with credit cards and the steps to implement them.

In addition, it covers a wide range of safety, fee mechanisms, and comparisons of the latest services. Even those in charge who are unsure where to start are able to confidently proceed with the introduction.

Background of the demand for cashless payment in the real estate industry

In the real estate industry, contract and business negotiations are becoming more online, and there is a trend of moving online, including move-in procedures and rent payment.

In response to this trend, it has become important to develop cashless payment that can be completed non-face-to-face. From here, we will explain the reasons from three perspectives.

Electronic contract ・Progress of non-face-to-face and online due to the penetration of IT emphasis

In 2021, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism introduced the IT Emphasis (Explanation of Important Matters) in earnest, and the use of electronic contract services in real estate transactions is expanding.
With the prevalence of non-physical contract formats, there is a growing trend for entire real estate transactions to go online, with customers wanting to complete everything from contract to payment deposits and brokerage fees at home​.​

Traditional cash transactions have been difficult to respond to this trend of non-face-to-face and online, which has been an issue for payment.
As such, cashless payment has gained traction as a means to facilitate a smooth series of transactions, catering to the growing need for online completion.

Expansion of trade area through the spread of online viewings and remote business negotiations

The spread of tools such as VR previews and remote business negotiations has expanded the commercial area of real estate companies not only locally, but also nationwide and overseas. This shift has made it essential to have a mechanism that allows you to complete contract and payment even from a remote location.

In fact, it is not uncommon for real estate companies in the Tokyo metropolitan area to guide properties to overseas residents through 3D previews and Zoom business meetings. Customers who are far away, especially those who have difficulty paying in cash, are increasingly looking for payment method that can be completed online, such as credit cards or QR code payment.

As a result, there are more situations that cannot be handled by traditional payment methods based on in-store visits, and it is easier to choose payment method that can be used online.

Accelerating cashless due to the trend of real estate DX and operational efficiency

As real estate DX (digital transformation) spreads, more and more companies want to promote operational efficiency, and cashless payment is one of the core initiatives, especially in reducing the hassle of cumbersome payment management.

If you manually manage payments such as rent and security deposits as before, there is a problem that it is easy to miss confirmation and cause workload. In contrast, cashless payment automatically organizes deposit data and organizes business flow.

In addition, the government has also indicated a policy to increase the cashless ratio, creating an environment that makes it easier for real estate companies to promote their introduction.

Adoption of cashless payment in the real estate industry

Although the number of real estate companies introducing cashless payment is increasing, it can be said that there are still many tenants who use cash and Bank transfer. Some say that the payment method of rent is easily influenced by habits and cannot be switched immediately.

Here, we will organize the current usage status and user intentions, and check the progress of dissemination.

While the introduction is progressing, cash and bank transactions are still the mainstream

Although the real estate industry is becoming cashless, Bank transfer and Account transfer are often used in situations where monthly payment is the main focus, such as rent. Although there are more non-cash methods, it can be said that traditional payment method is the mainstream.

In a survey conducted by GMO Payment Gateway in July 2025 (targeting 1,132 residents who pay their own rent), "Account transfer" (46.7%) and "Bank transfer" (33.4%) accounted for about 80% of the total rent payment methods, and cash and bank transactions are still the mainstream.

On the other hand, "Credit card payment" is only 16.4%, indicating that cashless in regular rent payment is still limited.

However, in the same survey, 67.3% of respondents answered that they would like to payment rent with a credit card in the future. This significant divergence between current usage (16.4%) and future usage preferences (67.3%) indicates that there is ample room for cashless payment adoption in the real estate industry.

Cashless utilization scenarios in real estate businesses

Cashless payment is not limited to contract usage, when upfront costs were the main focus, but are also spreading to everyday payment such as rent. This is influenced by the increasing customer demand for non-face-to-face completion of procedures. For real estate companies, attention is also focused on its use as a payment method because it leads to both improved operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

payment of initial costs, brokerage fees, move-out costs, etc. at the time of contract

When concluding a lease or sale contract, there is a payment of initial costs and brokerage fees.

The increasing number of non-face-to-face contract has led to a growing desire to finish payment online. These changes have led to the importance of cashless payment mechanisms.

With PG Multi-Payment Service 's "Link Type Plus", you can request a payment by simply sending a payment link after the electronic contract is over.

Residents can easily payment from home using smartphones and computers with credit cards. It is compatible with distant customers and corporate contract, and is easy to combine with contract flows that do not assume visits.

If you want to introduce a cashless payment terminal in your store but are concerned about cost, we also recommend the QR function of Link Type Plus. The QR code generated in the management screen can be printed on paper in advance, and customers can payment it on various payment method just by reading it.

If there are many stores and it is not possible to prepare a large number of terminals, or if you want to charge the fee when you are present at the move-out, it is highly convenient because you can accept payment without the need for a terminal and with just a QR code.

Regular payment for rent and management fees

Monthly payment such as rent and management fees are also becoming cashless. Since deposits can be processed automatically, it is evaluated for preventing non-payment and improving customer convenience.

PG Multi-Payment Service accepts credit card recurring payment and Account transfer. According to a survey result, 67.3% of residents said they would like to payment their rent with a credit card, which is considered to be an initiative that aligns with customer needs (according to GMO Payment Gateway).

Another major advantage for management companies is the ability to automate deposit clearing. It can reduce human costs and the risk of missing confirmations, and can achieve both accuracy and efficiency in rental management.

Benefits of Implementing Cashless payment

Implementing cashless payment not only improves tenant satisfaction and contract rates, but also has a positive impact on the operational efficiency of real estate companies. This is because the expansion of payment means smoothes the flow to contract and reduces the burden of administrative work.

Here, we will organize the representative benefits in a list and explain them in detail.

Advantage 1. Improved convenience for residents

With cashless payment, residents can do things from home, making them less burdened by payment. Not only can you choose how to payment, but you can also payment at any time you want.

When paying the initial cost and rent with a credit card, installment payment or revolving payment is available, making it a friendly system for tenants who find it difficult to prepare for a lump sum of expenses. There are also tends to be preferable that there are no transfer fees and that you can accumulate points.

Advantage 2. Streamlining Payment Management

Cashless payment can be a great support for real estate companies that want to reduce the hassle of managing deposits.

Since payment information is automatically organized, you can reduce the time required for confirmation work. Another attraction is that the workload is lightened, making it easier to use time for other responses.

With online payment in place, you can check the status of your payments in real-time. It will reduce the time it takes to confirm the transfer, and you will be able to reduce the loss of opportunities.

Advantage 3. Improving the closing rate (sales improvement)

Cashless payment serves to lower the hurdles for contract. It can be said that it is easier to create an environment that is easy to move on to contract because of the greater freedom of payment. As a result, you can expect an increase in the closing rate.

Properties with flexible payment methods, such as installment or revolving payments, are less likely to be obstacles to high upfront costs and encourage considerers to contract. Don't overlook the fact that communicating cashless support on information pages and stores will make it easier for residents to choose you.

Advantage 4. Mitigating the risk of accrual

With cashless payment, you can handle regular payment such as rent with recurring payment or automated processing. This prevents the tenant from forgetting to pay the payment, and at the same time, it has the effect of reducing the occurrence of non-payment on the real estate company's side.

Cashless payment Costs and Fees

When implementing a cashless payment, it's important to understand the costs involved in operation. payment fees, in particular, can affect the ease of use of the service, so you should check beforehand.

Comparing post-deployment running costs, including post-deployment running, makes it easier to implement a long-lasting and easy-to-use payment system.

payment How does the fee work?

If you use a cashless payment, you will be charged a fee to your credit card or payment processing company company. It is the real estate company that bears the burden, and it is important to understand that the amount varies depending on the payment service you introduce.

payment The commission is generally said to be around 1-3%. Depending on the service, there are cases where the commission can be reduced through implementation support and campaigns.

Key points for fee reduction

To keep fees down, it's important to compare multiple payment processing company companies and choose a plan that fits your contract size. This is because comparing conditions makes it easier to find an option that is easy to operate.

In some cases, you can deploy multiple payment method at once using a service that supports bulk contract. It can be less burdensome than contract individually, and it's well worth considering.

You will be required to sort out the long-term costs and conveniences and determine the form that suits your company.

How to introduce cashless payment in the real estate industry

Here, we will explain the basic flow of introduction and how to choose one.

Implementation Flow and Procedure

When starting a cashless payment, it is common to proceed step by step from inquiry to screening to the start of operation. Understanding the implementation steps will make it easier to prepare.

After submitting the required documents, a merchant screening will be performed. Through this process, when contract is complete, you can proceed to the system settings.

payment Choice of terminals and online payment

The payment method to introduce depends on whether you serve customers in-store or contract non-face-to-face. In the store type, the method of placing payment terminals is the mainstream, and it is suitable for face-to-face situations.

With the spread of cordless terminals and smartphone-type payment terminals, the degree of freedom in installation is higher than before, but be aware of the cost burden due to the number of terminals installed and the high possibility that you will not be able to take them out of the store and use them.

For real estate companies that have non-face-to-face contract and billing, it can be said that online payment that can be paid by sending a link is easy to handle. Based on the usage environment and customer base, it is important to choose the method that suits your company.

Key points for screening and required documents

To use cashless payment, you need to be pre-vetted. Decisions are made based on credit information and business Actual, so it is essential to have the necessary documents.

Organizing the contents of your documents will make it easier to proceed with your application.

Safety and Security Measures

Safety is a key factor in implementing cashless payment for both real estate companies and tenants. With more and more payment online, you need to make sure you have the mechanisms in place to protect your information.

Here, we will organize the security ideas related to real estate payment.

Ensuring the safety of real estate payment

When using cashless payment in real estate contract, it's essential to have a mechanism to ensure that information is handled securely. By using technologies such as encryption and tokenization, efforts are being made to reduce the risk of card information being stolen.

Many payment processing services operate in line with the international standard of PCI DSS. By adhering to these standards, we are able to maintain a high level of safety.

An increasing number of fraud finder systems and services that employ multi-factor authentication are also creating a safe and easy-to-use environment.

Non-Card Present Transactions safety measures

As the number of cases of payment without visiting the store has increased, measures to improve the accuracy of identity verification have been strengthened. That's because online payment is important to ensure that you're the right person.

Email link payment securely sends a URL dedicated to payment, and the person who accesses it payment. There is also an identity verification method that combines two-factor authentication via SMS to verify that the person with the card and the user are the same.

Related article: Do you know? Cashless real estate rental business has benefits for tenants and real estate businesses [DX in the real estate industry]

payment processing services Comparison

When implementing cashless payment, you need to check which payment brands it supports. Since different services can handle different payment methods, it is easier to avoid mismatches after implementation by comparing them in advance.

Here's a summary of the payment processing services that are actually offered for real estate.

*The fees and services of each company listed in this table are based on information published on the official websites of each company. For the most up-to-date and detailed information, please be sure to contact the company directly for confirmation.

Real Estate payment processing company Company Comparison

When real estate companies implement cashless payment, it's not just about fees and ease of use, but also about which brands they support. In order to reduce problems after implementation, it is also necessary to check the support system and ease of operation.

Comparing these criteria can help you find a service that fits your contract and tenant demographics. The quality of support and implementation Actual vary from service to service, so you will need to consider multiple companies side by side.

Inbound for foreign residents payment

Real estate companies are focusing on inbound payment due to the increase in the number of tenants coming to Japan from overseas. Many people come to Japan without cash, so creating an environment where they can pay smoothly will make it easier to connect to contract.

Here we will summarize the characteristics of inbound payment and key points when introducing them.

Features of Inbound payment

Inbound payment refers to a mechanism that allows foreign residents to payment smoothly within the Japan.

In addition to international brands such as VISA and MasterCard, it also supports payment method used in various countries. Implementing Alipay+ and WeChat Pay can provide peace of mind for foreign residents by using familiar payment methods.

As more and more overseas investors are considering purchasing properties, responding to inbound payment can be expected to be a factor in increasing the closing rate.

Benefits and precautions of introduction

Responding to inbound payment allows you to approach a wide range of foreign tenant applicants, which also leads to differentiation. The more brands you support, the easier it will be to guide you, so you can expect to improve your ability to attract customers.

On the other hand, there are cases where exchange rate fluctuations and managing payment currencies can be a challenge. Rules vary depending on the service, so it's essential to check before implementation.

While introducing a variety of foreigner-facing payment method will increase convenience, it is recommended to first introduce a credit card that allows you to pay with international brands, as it requires an attitude of operating while checking the latest information on laws, regulations, and security.

If you introduce "payment processing services" PG Multi-Payment Service

For real estate companies implementing cashless payment, it is important to choose a service that can support multiple payment method.

In addition to Credit card payment, PG Multi-Payment Service is characterized by the fact that you can use all of the mechanisms suitable for non-face-to-face, such as online payment and email link payment. It expands the way tenants payment, making it easier to organize the flow to contract.

In addition, it has a support system that is essential for operation, making it easy to manage after implementation.

Initial costs, usage fees, and supported brands vary from company to company, so it is a good idea to consider the best implementation method while comparing service content.

Summary

In the real estate industry, cashless payment has become a boon for both tenants and real estate companies. If a system is in place to pay without visiting the store, the burden on tenants will be reduced and work efficiency will be improved.
The more payment you can accommodate multiple methods, the easier it will be to keep the flow to contract uninterrupted.

On the other hand, there are points to check when introducing them, such as fees and screening procedures. By choosing the right service, it will be easier to solve these issues, so it is necessary to have an attitude of comparing and proceeding.

It is a good idea to consider the operation method that suits your company through requests for materials and consultations.