Apple Pay set to launch in the Philippines as banks prepare rollout

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan told reporters the central bank does not block Apple Pay and hinted that some local banks are ready to launch the service. Several major Philippine banks, including BPI, UnionBank, Chinabank, GoTyme Bank, EastWest and Metrobank, have added a “Supports Wallet” label to their App Store listings, a prerequisite for Apple Pay activation. Fintech apps such as Atome and Wise show similar readiness.

Apple Pay is not yet listed on Apple’s official supported markets page, and Filipino users cannot currently add cards to the Wallet app. Rumors suggest a possible rollout as early as August 4 2026, following Google Pay’s launch in November 2025. If confirmed, the service would let iPhone and Apple Watch users make contactless payments at NFC terminals, expanding cash‑less options in a market already dominated by mobile wallets like GCash and Maya.