GCash partners with BPC to boost merchant payment acceptance

By Vriti Gothi

GCash has partnered with global payments provider BPC to introduce GCash PocketPay, a new card-present acceptance capability designed to broaden digital payments access for millions of Filipino merchants. The initiative integrates BPC’s next-generation SmartVista acquiring platform into the GCash for Business ecosystem, enabling any compatible NFC-enabled Android device to function as a payment terminal.

The move is significant for the Philippines’ accelerating shift toward a cash-lite economy, where MSMEs remain a critical segment still navigating the transition from cash-based transactions to digital tools. By eliminating the need for dedicated hardware, PocketPay aims to lower barriers for merchants and social sellers that form a large portion of the country’s commerce activity.

GCash’s selection of BPC reflects its focus on rapid deployment and a modular acquiring stack that can scale with its expanding merchant base, which currently includes more than six million users. The rollout is structured in phases to align with GCash’s broader milestones around acceptance, interoperability, and channel expansion.

“We always work to provide meaningful digital finance solutions that empower people, organisations, and the nation,” said Jong Layug, General Manager of GCash for Business at G-Xchange, Inc. “With BPC’s SmartVista acquiring platform, we can stand up to our promise and provide modern payment acceptance. This product democratizes access to digital payment portals, which can often be intimidating for MSMEs.”

Through SmartVista, GCash PocketPay will support contactless Visa and Mastercard acceptance, with plans to unify card-present and QR-based payments including GCash’s own closed-loop QR and QRPH within a consolidated acquiring framework. The platform is engineered for fast certification with international schemes and supports integrations through open APIs, enabling GCash to introduce new capabilities while maintaining a unified operational view of merchant activity.

“We’re proud to power GCash for Business’s acquiring journey and to help in driving digitalisation through Filipino communities,” said Pallav Malik, BPC Account Manager for GCash. He added that SmartVista’s modular, cloud-ready architecture enabled the project to go live “in record short time.”