Philippines – Visa, a world leader in digital payments, has released its latest annual report on digital remittances. The report is titled Money Travels: 2025 Digital Remittances Adoption Report. It draws on responses from 44,000 senders and receivers across 20 countries and territories, including the Philippines.
The report shares the latest remittance trends around the world, including in Asia Pacific. This region plays a key role in the $905 billion global remittance landscape.
Filipinos Lead Digital Remittance Adoption
According to the report, the Philippines is one of the top adopters of digital remittances in Asia Pacific. In fact, 74% of Filipinos send money digitally, and 66% choose digital means to receive funds.
Most respondents in the Philippines (73%) see digital payments as the fastest way to access funds. About 45% also view them as a safe and private way to send and receive remittances.
“The Philippines accounts for more than 60% of total inbound remittance transactions in Asia Pacific, underscoring our robust position as a driver for regional remittance growth. The shift to digital remittances fosters greater financial inclusion, with more people and businesses able to access secure, regulated digital channels for managing and receiving money,” said Jeffrey Navarro, Country Manager for Visa Philippines.
The Philippines is often cited as a top inbound remittance destination. However, it has also grown its potential in outbound money movement, especially for business-to-business (B2B) payments. In an earlier edition of the report, seventy percent of Filipino SMEs said they needed to buy goods and services from overseas. Meanwhile, 60 percent expressed interest in sending money overseas.
High Fees as a Remittance Pain Point
Close to half – or 41 percent – of surveyed Filipinos send money for “unexpected needs.” That share ranks second only to India (44%) and ahead of Australia (31%). Filipinos also lead the region in receiving remittances regularly, at 39%. China (34%) and India (30%) follow closely.
Despite growing use of digital apps for remittances, more Filipinos also cite app fees as a pain point. The figures stand at 43% for senders and 30% for receivers. These are the highest in Asia Pacific, alongside India (36%/33%) and Singapore (32%/32%).
For physical remittances, Filipinos also cite high fees as a top concern (45%/29%). By comparison, the figures are 41%/37% for India, 38%/30% for Singapore and 29%/30% for Australia.
Older users are embracing digital apps too. All respondents (100%) from the Philippines aged 65 and above plan to send remittances digitally. That is higher than the 45-64 age bracket (72%), the 35-44 bracket (75%) and the 18-34 bracket (74%).
Visa’s Broader Remittance Strategy
Every year, one billion people rely on remittance services and platforms. With this in mind, Visa keeps building solutions that help payments businesses move money more efficiently. These solutions also help them broaden financial access for their customers.
Visa recently signed strategic money movement partnerships with key Philippine partners. These include USSC Money Services, Inc. (UMSI) and Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC). The partnerships focus on outbound remittances and launched Visa Direct. This real-time push payment platform delivers funds directly to eligible cards, accounts and wallets worldwide.
“The shift in remittance trends reflect a broader change in consumer needs and preferences. Speed, security, and convenience are no longer optional — they are expected. Together with our partners, Visa drives this momentum, expanding financial inclusion through efficient, reliable, and affordable ways for Filipinos to send and receive money,” added Navarro.
