Viss announced that cardholders of eligible Visa debit and credit cards issued by participating banks in the Philippines can now add their cards to Garmin Pay on their compatible Garmin smartwatches.
Now enabled for Visa debit and credit cards from EastWest Bank and GoTyme Bank, as well as other foreign-issued Visa cards supported by Garmin Pay, this new feature enables Garmin users to make secure, seamless payments from their smartwatch at any contactless-enabled terminal in the Philippines, advancing payments digitalization while giving cardholders peace of mind with every tap.
Garmin Pay expands contactless payment options in the Philippines, building on Visa and Google’s collaboration in 2025 to launch Google Wallet and Google Pay in the market. Garmin Pay transactions are enabled by Visa’s tokenization technology. Tokens are used to create seamless and secure payment experiences for consumers and businesses, helping to significantly reduce fraud by replacing actual card numbers with unique digital tokens and preventing cardholders’ real account information from being shared with merchants or stored in devices,
The Philippines is the fourth market in Southeast Asia where Garmin Pay is currently available, after Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. This payment innovation further aligns the Philippines with regional and global standards in payments digitalization, expanding cashless payment options for everyday transactions. In the Asia Pacific region, more than 71% of consumers prefer using mobile or smart devices when making in-store or payment transactions,
“Contactless payment platforms such as Garmin Pay amplify Visa’s benefit to Filipinos, enabling speed, convenience, and security with every contactless transaction. With Garmin Pay, Visa provides Filipinos with safer, more convenient ways to pay across shops, public transport, and tourist destinations, empowering local merchants to embrace digital payments and supporting the government’s push to become a cash-lite economy,” noted Jeffrey Navarro, Country Manager for Visa Philippines.
The launch of Garmin Pay also boosts tourism, offering more seamless and secure payment experiences for both Filipinos traveling abroad and visitors traveling to the Philippines. Across the Asia Pacific region, 97% of travelers say that they want to use credit, debit, or prepaid cards on their trips, while only 17% intend to bring foreign currency. Visa’s research found that in the Philippines, 44% of tourists report encountering various payment problems, including non-acceptance by merchants.
