The partnership allows BPI customers to send funds overseas directly to bank accounts, cards, and digital wallets, modernizing how individuals and small businesses move money globally.
Digital push
The initiative builds on BPI’s digital banking capabilities and supports its broader push toward digital transformation.
“Filipino customers already know how simple and reliable real-time payments can be through InstaPay in a domestic setting,” Joel De Vera, head of strategy, products, and support at BPI institutional banking, said in a statement.
“Through our partnership with Visa, clients will soon be able to send money abroad directly through the BPI app, enabling transactions that are faster, more transparent, and more secure,” he added.
Strong adoption
Filipinos are among the top adopters of digital remittances in Asia Pacific, according to Visa’s Money Travels: 2025 Digital Remittances Adoption Report.
The study found that 74 percent of Filipinos prefer sending money digitally, while 66 percent favor receiving remittances through digital channels. Around 76 percent of respondents send remittances at least once a year, with 45 percent citing security as a key advantage.
Seamless transfers
Visa Direct enables real-time fund transfers to eligible accounts worldwide, reducing the complexity often associated with traditional cross-border payments.
The platform allows users to track transactions with greater transparency while ensuring funds reach recipients more quickly.
Business impact
Visa said the service is expected to benefit not only retail customers but also micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which rely on efficient payment systems for cross-border transactions.
“Digital payments are transformative, and Visa Direct underscores our commitment to help Filipino consumers and businesses connect to more opportunities globally,” said Jeffrey Navarro, Visa Philippines country manager.
Global network
Launched more than a decade ago, Visa Direct now reaches over 12 billion endpoints across more than 195 countries and territories, supporting transactions in over 150 currencies.
Financial inclusion
The partnership aims to improve financial inclusion by expanding access to secure and efficient international payment systems.
By simplifying cross-border transfers, Visa and BPI hope to enable more Filipinos to participate in the global digital economy. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
