Visa Inc. and GCash launched a partnership to integrate international money transfers into the Philippines’ largest mobile wallet, aiming to capture a greater share of the multibillion-dollar remittance market.

The collaboration utilizes Visa Direct, a real-time payment technology that enables users worldwide to send funds directly to more than 90 million GCash accounts.

Under the agreement, Filipinos living abroad can link foreign-issued Visa cards to the GCash Overseas app, allowing them to use those cards as a primary source for funding their digital wallets.

The move comes as the Philippines remains a global leader in digital payment adoption. About 74 percent of Filipinos now choose to send money through digital channels, according to Visa’s Money Travels: 2025 Digital Remittances Adoption Report.

The study, which surveyed 44,000 participants across 20 countries, found that 66 percent of respondents prefer receiving funds digitally, while 45 percent cited safety and privacy as the primary benefits of using mobile apps over traditional cash-based methods.

“Visa shares a longstanding commitment with GCash to make payments safer, more secure, and seamless,” Jeffrey Navarro, Country Manager for Visa Philippines, said in a statement.

He noted that the initiative aligns with government efforts to transition the Philippines into a “cash-lite” economy and expand financial inclusion.

The shift toward digital finance is most pronounced among the country’s older population. The report found that 100 percent of Filipino respondents aged 65 and above intend to use digital means for remittances, surpassing the 72 percent recorded for those aged 45 to 64 and 74 percent for users between 18 and 34. Currently, eight out of 10 Filipinos use GCash for daily transactions, according to company data.

Paul Albano, General Manager of GCash International, said the partnership with Visa will expand the company's global footprint. The super app has been aggressively pushing into international markets to serve the millions of overseas Filipino workers who underpin the national economy.

The integration aims to simplify the remittance process, which has historically been hampered by high fees and physical logistics. By leveraging Visa’s global network, the companies expect to offer more flexible payment options for both overseas workers and international tourists visiting the Philippines.