AUTOMOBILE brand Omoda & Jaecoo in Cebu City, along with financial technology company Paytaca Inc., have forged a partnership to bring the future of electric vehicle (EV) driving and cryptocurrency payments to the Philippines.
“We are very excited because this is the future; we see it as the future for the Philippines. This is something that has already been done around the world. The electric vehicle market is still very new, in its infancy. That’s why this partnership is a perfect fit for both businesses, and this dealership is just the beginning,” said Joseph Carlo Japson, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Omoda & Jaecoo Cebu Branch.
“The future is bright, the future is crypto, the future is EV,” Japson added during the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) and the launch of the advertising campaign at their showroom on the upper ground floor of GMall of Cebu on February 28, 2025.
Dr. Joemar Taganna, CEO of Paytaca Inc., expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating that Paytaca is the only company in the Philippines pushing for the proper use of cryptocurrency as a payment method.
“We will see a huge transition in the next few years, similar to what has already happened in developed countries—the transition to EVs and crypto. By using crypto, you can tap into a wide range of businesses,” said Taganna.
“It’s a momentous event as Paytaca has inked an agreement with Omoda & Jaecoo Cebu, making it the first car brand in the world to accept cryptocurrency (Bitcoin Cash) as a payment option. This marks the beginning of many innovations and the arrival of the future of driving and payments,” added Aaron JP Almadro, Paytaca’s Chief Marketing Officer.
The MOA signing was also attended by Omoda & Jaecoo Cebu Chief Marketing Officer Jonathan Joey Japzon, Miss Cebu 2025 Christine Escanilla, Cebu-based hospitality startup HiveRooms Founder and CEO Herbert Dionzon, Paytaca Brand Ambassadress Demi Mari Daga, Paytaca Brand Evangelists Cladge and Mitch, indie filmmaker Gianfranco Morciano, Omoda & Jaecoo Cebu officials, and various guests.
Launched in 2018, Paytaca is the Philippines' first Bitcoin Cash (BCH) wallet and payment solution. The company has since expanded its merchant network, with notable partners in Hong Kong, Australia, Taiwan, several European and African countries, as well as Metro Manila, Ormoc City, Cebu, and Tacloban. (Ronald Reyes/SunStar Philippines)