Mastercard, top banks formalize Google Pay launch

MANILA, Philippines — Mastercard and several major banks formalized their support for Google Pay yesterday, underscoring the platform’s rapid expansion following its rollout in the Philippines this week.

The payments network and partner issuers announced the activation of Google Pay for their cardholders, highlighting secure, tokenized transactions and broader access to contactless payments across Android devices.

In a statement, Mastercard said its participation in the launch reinforces its global goal of 100 percent tokenization and 100 percent authentication across digital transactions.

“The highly anticipated arrival of Google Pay marks a pivotal moment for the Philippines’ financial ecosystem,” Mastercard country manager for the Philippines Jason Crasto said.

“This innovation not only simplifies everyday payments but also accelerates the country’s journey toward a digitally inclusive economy, where secure, tokenized transactions become the norm for all.”

Google Pay uses Mastercard’s tokenization technology, which replaces sensitive card numbers with a device-bound token and cryptogram. The setup ensures real card details are never shared during in-store taps or online checkouts.

Prep Palacios, country manager at Google Philippines, said the platform is part of a larger effort to spur digital adoption.

“We’re proud to work with Mastercard to bring faster, convenient and more secure payments to the Philippines. This launch underscores our enduring commitment to accelerating financial inclusion and fueling the next chapter of the Philippines’ dynamic digital economy,” she said.

Several banks also announced that they are among the first to enable Google Pay for their cardholders, giving customers tap-to-pay convenience using near-field communication (NFC)-enabled Android devices.

East West Banking Corp. rolled out support for both its Visa and Mastercard credit cards, emphasizing the role of tokenization in strengthening security.

“With Google Pay, we’re empowering our cardholders to pay with confidence anytime, anywhere — the easier way to pay,” EastWest CEO Jerry Ngo said. The bank said Visa debit cards would follow soon.

Union Bank of the Philippines also activated the feature for its credit cards.

“At UnionBank, we’re focused on making life easier for our customers by ensuring digital payments are as seamless and intuitive as possible,” said Mukul Sukhani, head of cards and consumer lending.

China Banking Corp. also enabled Google Pay for both its credit and debit cards across Visa and Mastercard.

“Partnering with Google Pay perfectly aligns with our ‘Focused on You’ brand promise,” Chinabank payments solutions head Jose Julian Baduria Jr. said.

He noted that actual card details are never shared or stored on the device, reducing fraud risk.

Maya, meanwhile, introduced Google Pay support for its credit cards, positioning itself as the first fintech to enable direct Tap-to-Pay using actual credit lines.

“We’re making Tap-to-Pay truly frictionless,” Maya Group president and Maya Bank co-founder Shailesh Baidwan said. Support for prepaid cards will follow.

GCash also enabled integration with Google Pay, opening the feature to select users ahead of wider rollout. The mobile wallet said the partnership allows millions of Filipinos to link their GCash accounts to the platform without needing a physical or virtual card.

“This integration empowers our users to move through digital and physical spaces with greater ease, security and reach,” G-Xchange Inc. president and CEO Oscar Enrico Reyes said.

Mastercard noted that tap-and-go payment adoption continues to rise as consumer behavior shifts toward cashless, mobile-first experiences.

Banks also said the launch would support their digital strategies, from EastWest’s EWPay platform to UnionBank’s tap-to-pay ecosystem.