Pie Systems Japan Integrates API with 'Square'. Free and Easy Tax-Free Sales for Foreign Visitors Available to All 'Square POS' Stores.

Pie Systems Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Hiroaki Mizuno; hereinafter "Pie Systems"), a travel-tech company, announces that its tax-free procedure digitalization service for foreign visitors, "PIE VAT," has started an API integration with "Square POS Register" provided by Square Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Block, Inc., US; Block Head: Jack Dorsey; hereinafter "Square").

Through this integration, the "simple and sophisticated payment experience" of the Square POS register is combined with the "fully digital tax-free solution" of PIE VAT, allowing Square POS stores to seamlessly complete tax-free procedures right after checkout.

By selecting the relevant order on the PIE VAT app after accounting on the register, the sales data automatically syncs with PIE VAT. After that, simply scanning the visitor's passport with a tablet completes the tax-free procedure.

Stores using the Square POS register can use this service for free.

Background and Aim of the Square and Pie Systems Partnership: Seamless Tax-Free Procedures for Stores

With the rapid increase in foreign visitors, offering tax-free shopping has become an essential infrastructure for retailers. However, the traditional double burden of checkout (register input) and tax-free processing (scanning passport information and re-entering purchase details into the tax-free system) has been heavy on staff.

Furthermore, an amendment to the tax-free system (a shift to the refund method) is scheduled for November 2026, requiring stores to ensure strict system compliance.

This partnership alleviates the burden of tax-free procedures on site. Since PIE VAT is compliant with the November 2026 system revision, Square POS stores can transition in advance to an operation suited for the updated system.

Benefits of the "Square POS x PIE VAT" Integration for Stores

1. Zero Double Entry: Automatically Inherits Order Information from Square POS After payment on the Square POS, selecting the order on the PIE VAT app syncs the sales data. This eliminates the need to re-type product names or amounts for tax exemption, completely removing manual entry errors. You can handle everything seamlessly from checkout to tax exemption.

2. Start Tax-Free Sales with Completely Free Initial and Monthly Fees PIE VAT requires zero installation and monthly usage fees. As this API integration feature is also provided free of charge, stores can conduct tax-free sales without incurring extra costs.

3. No Dedicated Terminals Needed: Your Tablet Becomes a "Tax-Free Window" There is no need to introduce additional hardware. Your existing tablet transforms into a highly functional tax-free system that handles everything from passport scanning to data transmission to the National Tax Agency.

4. Fully Compliant with the 2026 Tax-Free System Revision (Shift to Refund Method) Because PIE VAT complies with the "post-departure refund method" scheduled for implementation in November 2026, operations can continue smoothly without additional costs or contracts when the regulations change.

"Free Support" for Tax-Free Shop Permit Applications The specialized team at PIE VAT will provide free assistance with the necessary procedures to apply for a "Tax-Free Shop" permit to start tax-free sales. Even stores newly considering tax-free sales can get started with minimal preparation.

Comment from Ryuta Aizawa, Head of Japan Partnerships, Square: Square has always valued providing a simple experience from payment to sales management so that businesses can focus on their core operations. While tax-free support is a new growth opportunity for many merchants amid the increasing number of foreign visitors, they also face challenges like operational load and the upcoming November 2026 system revision. Through this API integration with Pie Systems, we have established an environment where all merchants using Square POS can start tax-free sales for free and without dedicated terminals. Taking this partnership as an opportunity, Square will further strengthen support for merchants in the inbound sector and contribute to realizing a more comfortable and seamless purchasing and service experience for both visitors and businesses.

Comment from Hiroaki Mizuno, CEO of Pie Systems Japan: We are delighted that more stores can now use PIE VAT through our integration with Square POS, which is widely used by many retailers. All Square POS stores can begin offering tax-free sales for free. With the increasing number of foreign visitors amid labor shortages, the double task of re-entering tax-free information into another terminal after checkout