UPDATE: Visa has announced that eligible Visa debit and credit cardholders in the Philippines can now use Apple Pay. Filipinos can now access the service through participating banks like Metrobank, Chinabank, UnionBank, and GoTyme.
Apple Pay may officially launch in the Philippines this month, but Apple has not yet confirmed when the service will become available.
Meanwhile, according to a report by Rappler, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan said that the central bank has no objection to Apple Pay entering the country and that several local banks are preparing to support the service.
However, Tangonan did not identify which banks are involved or provide a timeline for the rollout.
What is Apple Pay?
Apple Pay lets users make contactless payments using an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, and other supported Apple devices.
Users can add eligible credit or debit cards to the Wallet app and use them to pay in stores, apps, and supported websites without using a physical card.
As of now, there is still no official announcement on when Apple Pay will be available in the Philippines.
While rumors point to a possible August 4 launch, nothing has been officially confirmed. Several users have reported that they tried connecting their cards to Apple Pay, but the feature does not appear to be available yet.
Stay tuned for the official announcement.
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