GCash, the country’s leading finance app, can now be used abroad with international SIM cards, making the e-wallet the first and only in the country to do so, following the approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
The central bank gave the green light to start the beta launch of GCash Overseas, which allows Filipinos in Japan, Australia and Italy to sign up for GCash even without a Philippine SIM.
“We continue to make a difference in Filipinos’ lives by making financial services easier and more accessible to our now 76 million-strong registered users. With around 10 million Filipinos living abroad, we want them to also be able to take advantage of GCash services even as they use international SIMs. As more people put their trust in GCash, we strive to remove more barriers and create a better experience for all,” said Martha Sazon, GCash president and chief executive officer.
Under the beta launch, only the first 1,000 users from Japan, Australia and Italy can access GCash with an international SIM card. Once they’re fully verified, Filipinos overseas regardless of their SIM card can begin signing up for GCash and support their families back home by sending money for free (GCash-to-GCash), paying for bills on time, and instantly buying them load credits with just a few taps on the app.
The beta mode will run for a limited time only and the full launch is expected later this year.
GCash has also been doubling down on its international expansion through a partnership with the global payment platform, Alipay+. Aside from GCash Overseas, it can now be used to pay in select merchants across countries like Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Qatar as well as top European destinations like the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy.
GCash offers its users a wide variety of accessible financial products and services, such as Send Money, Buy Load and Pay Bills. Likewise, users can explore other innovative financial services to jumpstart their journey toward their financial goals through GSave, GInsure and GInvest. (PR)