Visa sees promising Apple Pay start

MANILA, Philippines —  Visa is seeing encouraging early traction for Apple Pay in the Philippines, but said wider adoption will depend on more banks joining the platform and programs that can turn initial consumer interest into regular usage.

Visa Philippines country manager Jeffrey Navarro said the payments firm has been pleased with the initial response to Apple Pay following its local rollout earlier this month.

“The traction is good and we’re very happy with what we’re seeing. So we’re betting on it,” Navarro told reporters in an ambush interview.

He said Visa has also been encouraged by the attention Apple Pay has generated among Filipino consumers, particularly online.

Still, he cautioned that it is too early to determine how quickly Apple Pay would gain scale, particularly as several major banks have yet to make the service available to their customers.

He added that Visa would have a clearer picture of adoption once the ecosystem expands and participating institutions begin rolling out programs aimed at encouraging customers to use Apple Pay more frequently.

Apple Pay officially launched in the Philippines on Aug. 4 with China Banking Corp., GoTyme Bank, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. and Union Bank of the Philippines listed as participating banks on Apple’s local website.

The initial roster is smaller than the lineup Visa had when Google Pay entered the country in November last year. Visa launched Google Pay in the Philippines with seven partner issuers in November 2025.

Navarro said the difference does not necessarily indicate that Philippine banks are less prepared for Apple Pay, noting that mobile payment platforms have their own requirements while banks also follow separate technology and product timelines.

Asked whether onboarding onto Apple Pay takes longer, Visa Philippines head of products Michelle Mascariñas said the timing ultimately varies by issuer.

“They have their own set of standards, but each bank would have their own processes and their own pipeline priorities. So it actually depends on their assessment on how soon they can get certified on onboarding,” she said.

“So it varies depending also on the appetite and the project pipeline of the issuer,” Mascariñas added.

Apple Pay allows eligible cardholders to make contactless purchases using an iPhone or Apple Watch, as well as payments in apps and on websites through supported Apple devices. Apple said the service works anywhere contactless payments are accepted.

For security, Apple Pay uses a device-specific number and unique transaction code instead of transmitting the user’s actual card number to merchants. Purchases also require authentication through Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode.

Navarro said Visa’s experience in other markets suggests that Apple Pay’s transaction contribution becomes more meaningful after roughly a year, although the pace depends heavily on the number of participating issuers and efforts to promote usage.

“Give it after a year. There are still big banks who have yet to activate,” Navarro said.

For now, Visa expects adoption to strengthen as the number of participating Philippine banks expands.

“I think it’s going to be successful once most of the banks are on the platform,” he said.