Finance
Maya waives withdrawal, InstaPay transfer fees for Middle East remittances
Until April 10, for families relying on remittances from loved ones in the region
Maya is extending support to Filipino families receiving remittances from loved ones working in the Middle East. This is through rebates for withdrawal and InstaPay transfer fees until April 10 as developments continue to unfold across parts of the West Asian region.
From March 23 until April 10, Maya users who receive remittances from select Middle Eastern countries can unlock a set of transaction rebates. This is designed to help them access and use the funds more easily.
Select countries include: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan.
The region remains one of the Philippines’ most important remittance corridors. There are an estimated 2.4 million Filipinos residing in the region, based from Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) data.
These overseas-based citizens contribute over US$ 6.4 billion in remittances in 2025 alone, based on preliminary Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data.
Eligible Maya users who activate Maya XP will receive the following rebates:
- ATM withdrawals: PhP 18 credited back per transaction
- InstaPay transfers: PhP 15 credited back per transaction
In addition, eligible users may also enjoy cashback on mobile load purchases. The discount ranges from 1% to 3%, depending on their Maya XP level.
After receiving a qualifying remittance, eligible users will receive an invitation to activate
Maya XP. The invite will pop up within one to three days.
Eligible users can activate their Maya XP directly within the Maya app by accessing the Maya XP section in the Wallet Dashboard or Profile page and completing the quick “Get started” process, including providing the required consent.
Once activated, users can immediately begin enjoying rebates on eligible transactions.
GCash is future-proofing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with new customer-first payment innovations. This, as the Philippines continues to become a digital payments nation.
The app expanded its suite of solutions to make digital payments more accessible, convenient, and secure for merchants.
Rather than a one-size-fits-all solution, GCash has payment devices designed for different business sizes and ways of operating.
One is the GCash EasyPOS, an all-in-one terminal for medium and even large enterprises. This accepts QRPh, Visa, and Mastercard payments and also supports features like digital receipts, refunds, settlements, and transaction monitoring.
Meanwhile, GCash SoundPay Plus is designed for micro and small merchants, specially in the retail and F&B sectors. It combines QR payments, card acceptance, and instant voice confirmation so merchants can immediately check when a payment pushes through.
The rollout of these two solutions builds on earlier solutions GCash introduced, including PocketPay and SoundPay.
PocketPay is designed for MSMEs, bazaar or pop-up merchants, and mobile sellers who take their products and services wherever their customers are.
It turns an NFC-enabled Android smartphone into a contactless card terminal. This makes payments easy and affordable — without investing in additional hardware.
SoundPay, meanwhile, is a portable QR payment device that provides instant voice confirmation for every transaction.
According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), 57.4% of retail payment transactions by volume were made digitally in 2024.
The central bank is targeting a digital payment share of 60% to 70% by 2028, with businesses increasingly expected to support cashless transactions.
Finance
GoTyme Bank grows to 10 million users in the Philippines
Over US$ 859.4 million in customer deposits
GoTyme Bank has reached the 10 million-user milestone in the Philippines, one of its key markets.
A joint venture between the parent Tyme Group and the the local Gokongwei Group, the digital bank has officially grown to 10 million strong, its latest accomplishment after debuting in the country three years ago.
The milestone is backed by over PhP 53 billion (~859.4 million) in customer deposits and sustained engagement across the GoTyme Bank ecosystem.
A core driver of the bank’s rapid growth is its integration into users’ daily financial habits. GoTyme was the Most Used Visa Debit Card in the Philippines, based on Visa debit active usage data in 2025.
The bank has also offered free InstaPay transfers from the start (capped at 20 transactions a month) for greater flexibility. There are also more than 160 billers on the app.
Complementing the digital-first infrastructure is an extensive physical network. There are now more than 600 kiosks in major malls nationwide.
Customers can also conveniently deposit and withdraw cash through more than 2,500 Robinsons Retail store lanes. Cash deposit is also allowed through more than 4,500 7-Eleven stores nationwide.
Among GoTyme’s recent offerings is MoreTyme, a flexible, transparent, and easy-to-understand credit solution.
Through Visa, GoTyme also took part in FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns, with raffle winners being flown to watch the matches live.
Finance
UnionDigital Bank, Chubb partner for accessible insurance protection
Chubb insurance products now integrated into UD app
UnionDigital Bank and Chubb Philippines have partnered to bring accessible insurance protection to Filipinos.
The strategic partnership integrates Chubb’s insurance solutions directly on the UD app. These comprehensive solutions will be seen among UD’s suite of financial products. That way, insurance protection becomes more accessible for consumers.
The two key insurance products in the initial rollout are Loan Protect Insurance and Kaya Protect Insurance.
The first product is automatically included for eligible UD loan borrowers at no additional cost for the first three months once the loan is approved.
In the event of accidental death, permanent disability, temporary disability, or death due to illness, Loan Protect Insurance pays up to the original loan amount to cover 100% of the customer’s outstanding loan balance.
Any remaining balance is released to beneficiaries. Loan Protect Insurance is currently available for loans up to PhP 30,000 with short-term repayment periods.
Meanwhile, Kaya Protect Insurance will be available soon. This provides personal accident and accidental death coverage up to PhP 150,000 and is activated automatically by maintaining a low minimum balance of PhP 100 in the insured’s savings account.
The partnership between UnionDigital Bank and Chubb aims to address the protection gap, as according to a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) survey, 48% of adult Filipinos are currently uninsured.
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