Wise launches in the Philippines, offering Filipinos an easy and affordable way to receive and spend money globally

L to R: Wise Senior Product Manager Yee Won Nyon, Wise Philippines Country Manager Areson Cuevas, and Wise Regional Product Manager SEA Debora Widawati

Starting from today, Filipinos can use the Wise Account to receive money in 9+ currencies, and get paid on time without fees 

The Wise card will allow Filipinos to spend globally in 160+ countries and shop online at the mid-market exchange rate1, with no hidden fees 

Nearly 75% of Filipinos surveyed cited high cost of transactions, poor exchange rates and slow processing times as challenges when engaging in international payments 

This product is built for people looking to receive and spend money internationally, such as freelancers, travellers and dependents of overseas foreign workers. In the near future, Wise plans to introduce more capabilities for customers to send Philippine Pesos (PHP) abroad. 

Wise, the global technology company building the best way to move and manage the world’s money, announced today its entry into the Philippine market with the launch of the Wise Account and Wise Prepaid Card. This is the first-of-a-kind solution in the Philippines that lets customers receive, hold, and spend money internationally — with no foreign transaction fees and exchange rate mark-ups. 

Cebuana Lhuillier's services can now be done from home

In the past year, we’ve seen how businesses have switched to digital platforms due to the community quarantine. Many have come up with innovative ways to ensure that they are able to provide their basic services to people at home. One of them is Cebuana Lhuillier, which is one of the most accessible pawnshops in the country with 2,500 branches nationwide.

To further make themselves more accessible, they launched Cebuana From Home (CFH), a platform that gives clients 360-degree access to Cebuana Lhuillier’s services—from cash remittance to pawning.

Here’s a quick rundown of CFH and how the platform can help the general public.

Get up to P500 cashback when you claim your Western Union remittance via PayMaya for the first time!

Plus get a chance to win P100,000 at the raffle draw! 

Digital financial services leader PayMaya is making it convenient and rewarding for Filipinos to claim their Western Union remittances via the PayMaya app as it offers recipients a cashback of up to P500 plus a chance to win P100,000 in the raffle draw. 

From today until January 15, 2021, recipients who will claim a minimum amount of P3,000 via Western Union on their PayMaya account for the first time can get a cashback of up to P500.   

Additionally, when they use their PayMaya account to conveniently shop for essentials online and in-stores, pay their bills, or buy prepaid load with a minimum spend of P500, they will automatically earn a raffle entry for a chance to win P100,000 PayMaya credits in the raffle draw![1] 

GCash Send Money safer vs traditional remittance

Facing a pandemic forced the whole world to reconsider the ways of human interaction to avoid the risk of virus transmission. 

Social distancing protocols should strictly be followed for those who need to go outside for essential tasks. Face masks are now indispensable when going outdoors. While most of these are common knowledge and are deemed as the norm in the current situation, there is also a need to avoid physical exchange of money bills and coins as this can also be a way for COVID-19 to spread.

Here's how you can send money to the province from your PayMaya account to Smart Padala during the quarantine

With the enhanced community quarantine currently in effect in the whole of Luzon and in other provinces in Visayas and Mindanao, many Filipinos have been looking for ways to send money to family, friends, or organizations they want to support within and outside Metro Manila.

Fortunately, PayMaya allows its users to send money directly to a Smart Padala center anywhere in the country. And with more than 30,000 Smart Padala touchpoints nationwide, it’s easy to locate one that’s near your street or barangay so you can continue to receive remittances from friends or family--even without having to step out of the house to be able to send money, which can help you and your family practice strict social distancing during the quarantine.

Time and Effort Saved through Mobile

As an industrial engineer, I want to make things better and easier. I usually have my days scheduled with the tasks I need to accomplish. However, there are still some things that could ruin my carefully planned activities.

My family members are scattered in various places they now call their home. Yet we remain in communication through the Internet. Despite being busy with our own lives and work, we really use this platform to catch up on news about each other.

Send Money and Receive Money for Free with GCash

Leading mobile money provider shakes industry by offering first-in-nation innovation

Remittances (a way of sending money) are a staple of Filipino culture, especially with lots of families depending on the money of their loved ones for sustenance. No matter where you are in the country, you’ll see remittance centers that offer these services from Metro Manila to anywhere in the Philippines, usually with a fee based on a percentage of the total amount to be sent. GCash realized that for these people, every peso counts, and that’s why they made sending and withdrawing money through the GCash ecosystem free. 

GCash launches the 1st fully Free domestic remittance solution in the PH

Filipinos can now transfer and remit money at Zero Cost, anywhere, anytime within the Philippines by using GCash. Mynt, the company that operates GCash, Philippines’ largest mobile wallet recently announced that, for the 1st time in the Philippines, there is now a totally Free, convenient, fast, and accessible way of sending, and receiving money within the country. 

“We recognize that domestic remittance is a big concern for Filipinos. Today, sending, but also receiving money within the Philippines should be convenient, simpler, faster and… completely Free. This is why we at GCash decided to offer something unique: a totally free solution, open to all Filipinos using the GCash App - No hidden charges, no added fees. With GCash, Filipinos can now send AND receive money anywhere, anytime at Zero Cost,” said Anthony Thomas, Mynt CEO. 

GCash Partners With AliPay HK Making A New Remittance Revolution!

With a large number of OFWs working in Hong Kong, it has be known to be large contributor to foreign remittances to the Philippines which both contributes to the economy and helps their families. But with long line and high fees, it seems that sending money also means additional hassle.

But in an incredible partnership with GCash and AliPay HK, they have opened a new remittance revolution that will cut costs and the lines and make the transactions in seconds!

It's the Second Year For Moneygram Idol Awards!

It is another year to recognize twelve OFWs and their families via the MoneyGram Idol Awards which is now at its second year held at the Solaire Resort and Casino. It is a celebration of the contributions of their hardwork to the economy and also relative who benefit from the fast remittance service by Moneygram.

Leading the awards is their brand Ambassador, Robin Padilla who remains to be the "Idol ng Bayan" with his patriotic works and genuine love for the Filipinos especially those working overseas. Along with him are MoneyGram’s key regional leaders who have seen the close bond of families brought together by the service.

MoneyGram and GCash Partnership: Bringing financial services to every Filipino

Earlier this month, MoneyGram announced its partnership with GCash, the mobile wallet and

micropayment arm of Mynt, in a move that promises to further improve financial inclusion in the Philippines.

Through the new united system, thousands of GCash users can now receive money from over 200 countries and territories on their mobile wallet and use the funds instantly for purchasing goods and services online.

Convenience and ease at your fingertips

Between over 30 million active smartphone users and the growing Internet penetration in the

Philippines, the collaboration between GCash and MoneyGram is a powerful strategy that aligns with MoneyGram's goal to offer consumers more digital money transfer options.

Xoom Launches its New ‘Request’ Feature for OFW Remittance Beneficiaries

Xoom, a PayPal service and leading digital money transfer provider, recently announced it has launched a new feature for remittance beneficiaries in 29 countries across Latin America, Europe and Asia, including the Philippines. For the first time, users outside of the U.S. can use Xoom to easily send a ‘request’ to their loved ones in the U.S. for a money transfer, bill payment, or a mobile reload.

PADALApit love this holiday

Nothing can stop the spirit of giving this Christmas with Smart Padala PickUp Anywhere

When Filipinos talk about Christmas, they immediately think about their families and how much they want to show their love to them during this occasion. This is the enduring sentiment especially for many Filipino households whose breadwinner is working in another city or country just to support the family.

Happy 160th Anniversary to Western Union!

Filipinos are present in almost every part of the globe. And with most of them working to provide for their families at home remittance has been a part of their live, including mine. And Western Union, as one of the biggest remittance provider in the world is now celebrating 160 years worldwide. To celebrate this occasion, they came up with a website www.westernunionworld.com , showing interesting facts about western union and what changes happened in the past 160 years. 


There is also a very useful information graphic about the world in terms of growth, imports, exports, GDP growth, and a lot more that would be helpful to people who are interested in economics and trends.