Zeller has won Fast Company's Best Design Asia Pacific award for its Zeller Terminal 2 payment device, placing the Melbourne company among the 2026 winners in Fast Company's Innovation by Design programme.
The recognition goes to a terminal developed by Zeller's in-house design team in Melbourne. The company said it set out to rethink both the look of payment hardware and how it is sold to merchants. Zeller Terminal 2 is an all-in-one point-of-sale and payments terminal designed in Australia for local businesses.
The device combines card payment acceptance with built-in point-of-sale software, allowing merchants to process sales directly on the terminal without paying separately for the software. Businesses can also link it to more than 600 third-party point-of-sale platforms.
The award comes as Zeller expands beyond its home market. It now supports more than 110,000 businesses worldwide, and Zeller Terminal 2 is available in Australia and the UK following its launch in Britain earlier this year.
Local Design
The device was created in Melbourne at a time when payment terminals have largely been treated as standard hardware supplied by larger international providers. Fast Company said the award recognises projects and products that show originality, functionality, sustainability, user insight and business impact.
Zeller Terminal 2 is designed for several settings, including countertop sales, self-service kiosks and mobile payments inside venues. It features a 6.5-inch HD touchscreen and supports Wi-Fi, SIM and wired Ethernet connections.
One of its more distinctive features is the absence of a built-in printer. Instead, the terminal sends paperless receipts by email, SMS or QR code, removing the need for receipt paper and related consumables, according to Zeller.
The company said merchants using the terminal have eliminated more than 54 kilometres of printed receipt paper - enough to wrap around the Melbourne Cricket Ground more than 115 times.
Restaurant Rollout
The terminal has also been deployed in self-service kiosks across Australia's quick-service restaurant sector. Zeller said the product has been integrated into more than 255 kiosks used by brands including Chatime, Noodle Box, Huxtaburger, Pattysmiths, Greenstreat and Acai Brothers.
The rollout points to a broader effort to move into settings where merchants want a single device for taking payments and managing sales. It also gives Zeller a route into higher-volume environments where design, durability and ease of use can influence adoption.
Founded in 2020, Zeller provides payment services, invoicing, business accounts, cards and expense management through a single platform. The company has offices in Australia and the UK and positions itself as an alternative to established providers in business banking and merchant payments.
Joshua McNicol, Chief Commercial Officer at Zeller, said the award reflected the company's product approach.
"Payment terminals are among the most frequently used devices inside a business, yet they have traditionally been designed as functional hardware rather than part of the customer experience. Zeller Terminal 2 was designed in Melbourne to give Australian businesses a product that looks better, works harder and remains affordable. Having that work recognised globally by Fast Company, alongside some of the world's leading design teams, is a proud moment for everyone at Zeller," McNicol said.
Fast Company said its Innovation by Design Awards are now in their 15th year. The 2026 programme recognised nearly 312 projects from organisations including Canva, Google and Adidas.
Brendan Vaughan, Editor-in-Chief at Fast Company, commented on this year's awards.
"The Innovation by Design Awards have always recognised the ideas that challenge convention and show what's possible when design is treated as a strategic force, not an afterthought. Congratulations to this year's honourees, who demonstrate how thoughtful design can solve meaningful problems and create new possibilities for people and businesses," Vaughan said.