Under the strategic partnership, Visa Direct will now enable individuals and businesses around the world to send funds directly to GCash wallets. This gives more than 90 million GCash users in the Philippines a faster, more convenient way to receive money from abroad, reinforcing the country’s growing shift toward digital payments.
Empowering overseas Filipinos
The partnership also allows overseas Filipinos (OFs) to use their foreign-issued Visa cards as a funding source within the GCash Overseas app.
This feature simplifies how Filipinos living or working abroad can send money home, while also supporting tourists and visitors who want an easy way to access local digital payments.
The Philippines is among Asia Pacific’s top adopters of digital remittances, according to Visa’s “Money Travels: 2025 Digital Remittances Adoption Report.”
The study, which surveyed 44,000 remittance senders and receivers across 20 markets, found that 74 percent of Filipinos prefer to send money digitally, while 66 percent favor receiving remittances through digital channels. Nearly half of respondents, or 45 percent,, cited digital remittances as a safe and private option.
Strong adoption across age groups
Digital wallets and apps have gained widespread acceptance across all demographics in the country.
Eight in 10 Filipinos have used GCash, highlighting its reach in everyday transactions. Notably, older users are leading digital remittance adoption, with 100 percent of Filipinos aged 65 and above planning to send money digitally—higher than younger age groups.
“Our mission at GCash is to make financial services accessible to every Filipino,” said Paul Albano, GCash International general manager. “By teaming up with Visa, we’re expanding our reach and delivering even greater value to our users, both at home and abroad.”
Jeffrey Navarro, country manager for Visa Philippines, said in a press release that the collaboration aligns with broader goals of financial inclusion.
“With this cross-border account funding solution, we hope to make payments even more flexible for millions of overseas Filipinos and tourists, while supporting the country’s transition toward a cash-lite society,” he said. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
