MANILA, Philippines — International travelers visiting the Philippines can now use their home e-wallets and banking apps to pay at any national QR Ph merchant across the country.

Philippine Payments Management, Inc. (PPMI) and Ant International’s unified wallet gateway, Alipay+, have officially enabled cross-border functionality on the national QR Ph network. The integration allows more than 2.5 million local merchants and small businesses to accept payments directly from global digital consumers using their existing QR code displays, opening up seamless international commerce without requiring extra hardware or new payment systems.

The move directly supports the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) digital transformation goals following rapid domestic adoption. According to the BSP’s 2025 Report on E-Payments Measurement, digital transactions reached 64.69% of total retail volume in the Philippines, driven by QR Ph transactions surging more than 13 times in 2025.

By linking this rapidly expanding domestic network to Alipay+’s global infrastructure, the partnership turns local digital infrastructure into an entryway for international business.

“QR Ph has played an important role in advancing a more connected and interoperable digital payments ecosystem in the Philippines, making digital payments more accessible and convenient for businesses and consumers. Through our partnership with Alipay+, we are extending that connectivity beyond our borders, enabling Filipino merchants — particularly SMEs — to serve international customers more seamlessly. This is an important step in bringing the benefits of digitalization into everyday commerce, while creating new opportunities for Filipino businesses to participate and grow in the global digital economy,” said Carmelita “Melit” Araneta, General Manager of Philippine Payments Management Inc.

For local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the integration transitions digital payment tools from simple internal collection instruments to active drivers of foreign tourist spending.

“Our role is to make it as easy as possible for a customer to pay with the mobile app they already use, while helping the merchant participate in a much bigger marketplace. The Philippines has built a strong digital payments ecosystem through QR Ph, and by connecting that ecosystem with Alipay+, we are helping bring the benefits of digitalization to the next level, giving Filipino businesses a more seamless way to serve consumers from around the world,” said Danny Chung, General Manager of Alipay+ Global Growth Center, Ant International.

The Philippine deployment represents the latest step in Alipay+’s strategy of linking national payment frameworks into a unified global network.

Key Operational Highlights

• Global Footprint: Alipay+ now connects over 2 billion consumer accounts, 50+ mobile payment providers, and 10+ national switches across 220+ markets.
• Regional Interoperability: The Philippines becomes part of a network that includes 10+ national QR schemes across Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
• Tech Scaling: Alongside payment interoperability, Alipay+ is rolling out artificial intelligence solutions designed to help merchants and payment providers manage digital commerce expansion.