At the grocery checkout, in a jeepney queue, or while buying merienda from a street vendor—Filipinos are paying differently these days. Coins and bills still change hands, but more often it’s a phone screen hovering over a QR code or tapping a terminal. Cash is still around, but digital payments are quietly taking over more of our daily transactions.
Why Filipinos Are Scanning Instead of Paying with Cash
Ask anyone why they use it, and the answer’s almost always the same—it’s faster. Students on the run, or parents balancing grocery bags, don’t have time to fumble for coins or wait for change.
But there’s more to it than convenience. QR payments have opened the door for millions of Filipinos who don’t keep a bank account. With just a smartphone and an e-wallet, they can pay jeepney fares, settle electricity bills, or shop online—no need for a passbook or a trip to the bank.
At the center of this shift is GCash, the country’s leading e-wallet. It counts more than 81 million active users and connects with 2.5 million merchants. Some reports even push the figure up to 94 million, which is practically everyone. Chances are, if you’re not using GCash, the person next to you is.
How QR Codes Took Over the Checkout Counter
Fueling this growth is QR Ph, the national QR payment standard. It acts as a universal code that lets different wallets and banks “speak” to one another. Whether you’re paying through GCash, Maya, or another app, scanning a QR Ph code at a store works the same way.
The system is built on EMV technology—the same security framework used for chip-enabled credit cards. Merchants favor it because it’s cheap and easy to set up, while customers like it for its speed, safety, and the peace of mind that comes with not carrying thick wallets of cash.
Tap to Pay: Taking Cashless Further
QR codes taught people to scan. NFC (Near Field Communication) is teaching them they barely have to lift a finger. This is the technology behind “tap-to-pay”: bring your phone or card close to a terminal, and the payment goes through instantly.
Worldwide, NFC powers Apple Pay and Google Pay. In the Philippines, GCash has introduced its own Tap to Pay, in partnership with Mastercard. For now, it works only on Android phones with NFC support, leaving iPhone users waiting on the sidelines.
Setting it up isn’t rocket science—just switch on NFC, toggle Tap to Pay in the GCash app, and tap at a Mastercard terminal. It works much like a contactless debit card; only this time your phone takes its place.
Users who’ve tried it say the speed is a real advantage, especially in supermarket lines or at train stations. Still, the experience isn’t flawless. Some terminals fail to register the tap, and not every cashier knows what to do when it doesn’t go through. The app also needs to be open and online for each transaction. Even so, the idea of paying with nothing more than a phone tap is a glimpse of what’s coming next.
Apple Pay & Google Pay: Global Players on the Horizon
While GCash is first to bring NFC here, the international players aren’t far behind. Both Apple Pay and Google Pay rely on tokenization—a system that turns your card details into a one-time code—making transactions safer by design.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently clarified that these services can operate in the country without a special license. Because they don’t hold customer funds, they aren’t classified as “payment system operators.” That green light means Apple and Google could enter the local market sooner than expected, giving Filipinos more options—especially for international travel and cross-border shopping.
The Benefits Everyone’s Talking About
Cashless payments aren’t just faster than cash; they feel safer, too. QR Ph payments are verified before they go through, while NFC uses tokenization or one-time codes that make it tougher for fraudsters to break in.
They’ve also opened the door for people who don’t have bank accounts. With an e-wallet, anyone can pay bills, shop, or send money. And to keep users engaged, providers throw in perks like cashback, discounts, and raffle promos—little rewards that make everyday payments feel less like chores.
But It’s Not Perfect: The Challenges
The cracks are obvious. No internet, no payment—that’s still the rule in many parts of the country. Then there’s fraud: bogus QR codes, phishing links, and scam payment requests still crop up. Providers are fighting back with app warnings and education drives, but the danger never fully goes away
Merchant readiness is another hurdle. Sometimes the tech works fine—but the cashier doesn’t. Many haven’t been trained for NFC, so the line stalls while everyone figures it out. And while GCash’s Tap to Pay is a big step forward, it currently excludes iOS users. Apple Pay and Google Pay, though cleared by regulators, are still waiting to make their official Philippine debut.
The Road Ahead: A Hybrid Future
Cash won’t disappear anytime soon, but it’s already losing ground to QR and NFC. The future isn’t one or the other—it’s both. Imagine a commuter tapping their phone to ride the MRT, scanning a QR to buy lunch at a carinderia, then tapping again at the supermarket—all in one afternoon, without a second thought.
Soon, Apple Pay and Google Pay will likely roll out locally, GCash’s Tap to Pay will expand to iOS, and offline-ready systems may emerge to cover areas with weak signal.
Cash won’t vanish overnight. But its role is shrinking fast, as QR codes and NFC slowly redefine the way Filipinos move money. For many, the real choice won’t be whether to go cashless—but which way.
Words by Phia Manuell Layoso
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE Volume 26 Issue No. 2