A large part of the population remains unbanked or underbanked, with figures reaching as high as 36 million Filipinos remaining unbanked in 2022. Financial inclusion remains a challenge in the Philippine setting, as this prevents broader activity such as access to loans and insurance products that can help to uplift more lives and provide resilience from economic challenges. As the country’s #1 finance super app, GCash makes it their mission to reach underserved Filipinos and empower them towards a more secure future.
The latest figures for the country’s #1 finance super app shows that it has 79 million registered users, and it is trusted by 5.8 million merchant and social sellers. It has also helped 40% of Overseas Filipino Workers reconnect with their families. It has launched 10 new innovations that are designed to create a more inclusive digital landscape, offering Filipinos from all walks of life opportunities to build a better tomorrow.
It is now expanding its financial services to reach even more Filipinos here and overseas, with greater access to GCash features that are designed towards inclusion in the growing global digital landscape. At this year’s #GCashFutureCast event, new GCash products were launched and they are set to usher in the future of Fintech through 10 ground-breaking innovations for every Filipino.
Wealth management and insurance innovations
GCash has made wealth management products like savings, insurance, and investments easy and accessible. Now it introduces products to help people grow their wealth and to help them protect it.
GStocks PH is AB Capital Securities, Inc.’s (ABCSI) online retail securities trading services made accessible through the GCash app. Its user-friendly and simplified trading interface was designed through a collaboration with the Philippine Stock Exchange. Through GStocks PH, users can now trade stocks of over 280 local companies. GStocks PH will be available to more users soon.
GCrypto allows users to discover and explore the world of Crypto and NFTs. Users get access to curated NFT collections, like The House of OhLala by Filipino contemporary artist, Reen Barrera, on the GCrypto NFT Hub. Buying and selling Crypto is also made easier with an exchange powered by PDAX, the Philippines’ leading homegrown cryptocurrency exchange.
GInsure Online Shopping Protect insurance offers users 60 days of coverage up to P20,000 for all their online purchases for just P34. The insurance covers scenarios when orders are not delivered, are accidentally damaged, are not as described, or are stolen. The insurance product, powered by Chubb, is embedded in the user’s online GCash payment journey across 1,500 online shops and platforms.
Banking that is truly mobile
Traveling Filipinos can now go cashless globally using GCash’s newest services. For overseas Filipinos, they can now use GCash to send money and support to their family back home.
GCash Global Pay allows Filipino travelers to do cross-border QR payments at Alipay+ merchants in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom. This eliminates the hassle of paying with cash, or withdrawing money at ATMs where you can incur high service fees. It offers real-time Forex charging, with no service fees.
GCash Card gives travellers the advantage of real time Forex charging at low exchange rates and no service fees. With this, users can access their funds in a single tap at over 100 million shops across 200 countries and territories around the world through VISA’s expansive network.. This enables travelers to enjoy hassle-free shopping and dining experiences wherever they may be. The new GCash card will be available later this year.
GCash Overseas allows overseas Filipinos in Japan, Australia, Italy and the USA to download GCash using international SIM cards. Now they can send money, buy load, and pay bills for their loved ones back home. They can enjoy the convenience of sending money for free with GCash to GCash transactions, saving them the cost of remittance fees. GCash also announced that it is now available in the UK and Canada. GCash Overseas is currently on Beta and is limited to a number of users, but will expand to more users soon.
Borrowing made easier
GGives supports Filipinos with the ability to buy now, pay later with zero credit cards, zero additional documents, zero down payment, and now with zero interest at select merchants. GCash users are now free from the barriers normally associated with installment plans, for both in-store or online purchases.
Borrow Load will allow eligible users to borrow their favorite load promos today at zero cash out, giving them access to their preferred entertainment – even if they’re short on budget. They can now afford to access data-heavy apps with load promos valid for up to 7 days. Borrow Load will be rolling out to more users soon.
Improved security and user experience
GCash has taken steps to make transactions safer and more seamless through two new features:
GChat is a new, user-friendly messenger feature that makes it easier to chat and transact with contacts, share receipts instantly, and trace transaction histories. The feature makes it easier to search for conversations with friends, merchants or customers, while the Gigi and Advisories features allow users to get help anytime in real-time. GChat will be rolling out to users in the next few months.
DoubleSafe is the latest GCash security feature that prevents fraudsters from taking over accounts. It provides an additional layer of security on top of the 2-Factor Authentication and mobile pin (MPIN). DoubleSafe will be activated for every first login to a new mobile phone, and will use facial recognition to secure an account should the user inadvertently share their MPIN and OTP to fraudsters.
At the FutureCast event, GCash CEO Martha Sazon said, “GCash has empowered and enabled every Filipino to remain hopeful and pursue progress. As the Philippines’ #1 Finance Super App and the first finance app to be a household name in the country, GCash is positioned to be everyone’s enabler to be future-ready. With the 10 new innovations at GCash, our hopes for a better tomorrow begins today.”
