Google Pay is set to launch in the Philippines on November 18, becoming the first major global digital wallet to expand locally after months of coordination with banks and fintechs.
At least nine issuers, including GoTyme Bank, will be active on day one, though major banks like BDO and BPI are not yet part of the initial rollout due to ongoing technical requirements such as tokenization.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has cleared a regulatory hurdle, ruling that Google Pay and Apple Pay do not need to register as payment service providers since they do not directly handle or store funds.
The service will allow users to link debit, credit, and e-money accounts to Google Wallet for NFC-based tap-to-pay transactions, in-app purchases, and online checkouts.
Industry sources expect the launch to expand contactless payment adoption and accelerate merchant acceptance as more banks and fintechs join the platform through 2025.
Source: PhilNews24 | November 17, 2025
