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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Banking & Finance devider Apple Pay delays Philippine entry to late 2026

Apple Pay delays Philippine entry to late 2026

Published Jan 26, 2026 12:00 am  |  Updated Jan 24, 2026 03:31 pm
After the successful rollout of Google Pay in 2025, global mobile payment provider Apple Pay is riding the digital wave as it prepares to enter the Philippine market in the third quarter of 2026—later than its originally planned launch in the first quarter.
Similarly, commuters looking forward to a seamless cashless experience on the Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines will have to wait, as the planned installation of the system has been deferred due to the transit lines’ lack of readiness.
Fintech Alliance PH founding chairman Lito Villanueva told reporters during the annual reception for the banking community that Apple Pay’s rollout was moved to the third quarter because the mobile payment provider wants to ensure “more bigger players” are onboard.
Villanueva noted that Google Pay has been gaining strong traction, with several merchants now joining the ride. Google Pay was the first to launch in the Philippines since 80 percent of Filipinos use Android devices.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan, who heads the payments and currency management sector, told reporters that the upgrade of the LRT-1 and LRT-2 lines was set aside because they were not as ready as the EDSA carousel, which launched in 2025.
Initially scheduled for November 2025, Villanueva said the rollout of the cashless payment system on local transit lines is now expected by mid-February.
“We have to ensure the experience is seamless. Otherwise, there could be hiccups. That’s why, initially, we’ll conduct an education campaign on how to use NFC tapping, Google Pay, and similar digital payment methods,” Villanueva said.
The planned upgrade is also expected to address the shortage of single-journey cards, which have been causing turnstile malfunctions as the machines frequently jam and retain the cards. This, Villanueva said, has contributed to high maintenance costs.
As such, the move to upgrade the payment system on LRT-1 and LRT-2 is expected to significantly reduce operational expenses (OpEx).
Meanwhile, he warned that the removal of the bottleneck in ticket queues may shift congestion to the platforms themselves—a particular concern for LRT-1, where platforms are small and crowding is more likely.
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