- tech360.tv
Philippine e-wallet GCash sets sights on becoming an all-in-one financial app
GCash aspires to become an all-in-one financial app by incorporating investments, insurance, and consumer loans through partnerships with domestic and international companies. Strategic collaborations like Lazada, Pioneer, PayPal, and E9pay have broadened GCash's offerings and improved consumer ease. GCash, with over 94 million registered customers, is the Philippines' top mobile payment platform.
The company behind GCash, Mynt, plans to collaborate with local and foreign partners to offer a range of products including investments, insurance, and consumer loans.
In April, Mynt joined forces with Southeast Asian e-commerce platform Lazada to provide loans for micro, small, and midsize sellers on Lazada's Philippine website. According to GCash, the goal of this agreement is to provide effective access to digital financial services for all, particularly those in underserved areas.
This agreement follows GCash's previous partnership with insurer Pioneer at the end of last year, which enabled it to sell products geared to overseas Filipino workers. GCash also expanded its services early this year, partnering with online payment giant PayPal and South Korean company E9pay. This allows GCash customers to connect their accounts to various services in other countries, which improves user convenience.
Mynt, GCash's parent firm, is a subsidiary of Globe Telecom, part of the Ayala group. GCash is now the most popular mobile payment platform in the Philippines, with over 94 million registered users as of the end of 2023. It is accepted by over 6 million restaurants, convenience stores, and other businesses nationwide.
The local financial culture is one of the causes driving GCash's growth. According to the Philippine Central Bank, just 65% of adults have typical bank accounts in 2022. GCash provides a more accessible option by allowing users to register using only their cellphone phones and IDs, making it especially appealing to low-income earners who find the usual account registration process cumbersome.
GCash's services are extremely popular among Filipinos residing overseas, particularly migrant workers. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are an estimated 10 million Filipinos living abroad, and money transfers from these individuals will amount $37.2 billion in 2023, accounting for approximately 10% of the Philippine GDP. Travellers appreciate GCash since it allows them to use the app anywhere in the world thanks to partnerships with Alipay and Visa.
GCash's strong brand recognition in the mobile payments and money transfer industry is pushing expansion into other financial services. Globe recently reported a 27% growth in digital bank deposit account openings during the January-March quarter, with one in every five accountholders adding a brokerage account.
Customers like GCash's lower fees when compared to regular banks, as well as the smoothness of transactions. A customer from Pangasinan province in the Philippines, who has been using GCash for investment trusts and bonds for nearly a year, appreciated the platform's ease of use and low cost.
As GCash seeks additional expansion, investors are looking forward to Mynt's prospective initial public offering (IPO). While sources imply that Mynt may explore an IPO in 2025, Globe has stated that the business is actively evaluating the timing and market conditions.
However, GCash is seeing increased competition from firms in the communications and financial sectors. GoTyme Bank and Maya Bank, both subsidiaries of Philippine conglomerates, are attempting to catch up with GCash.
In addition to competition, GCash confronts the issue of improving its security. Last year, the corporation had to close nearly 4 million accounts suspected of fraudulent activity and unauthorised money transfers, confusing some clients.
GCash aims to become an all-in-one financial app by adding investments, insurance, and consumer loans through collaborations with local and foreign partners.
Strategic partnerships with Lazada, Pioneer, PayPal, and E9pay have expanded GCash's services and enhanced user convenience.
GCash, with over 94 million registered users, is the leading mobile payment platform in the Philippines.
Source: NIKKEI ASIA