Apple Pay, Google Pay don’t need BSP approval to operate in PH – official
Provided by Philippine Daily Inquirer.
MANILA, Philippines - Apple Pay and Google Pay can operate in the Philippines without securing regulatory approval, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), in a policy clarification that could fast-track the entry of the two global tech firms into the local payments landscape.
BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan said the central bank does not consider the two services as operators of payment systems (OPS), which are required to obtain a license.
READ: Almost 60% of Philippine retail payments now digital
He explained that since Apple Pay and Google Pay merely facilitate transactions and do not hold customer funds like digital wallets, they fall outside the scope of OPS regulations.
“We deemed them not to be an OPS because their activity is not an OPS activity,” Tangonan told reporters in a recent chat.
(2025/08/04-14:28)
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