YouTube is doubling down on video-powered e-commerce in the Philippines through a new partnership with Lazada, one of Southeast Asia’s leading online shopping platforms, and a series of AI-driven shopping features designed to make online buying and selling more seamless than ever.
The move expands the YouTube Shopping affiliate program, which allows Filipino creators to tag and sell products directly within their videos — transforming every piece of content into a potential storefront.
The integration of Lazada into the program gives creators access to a wider range of products, while consumers can purchase featured items without leaving the platform.
Industry watchers say this partnership strengthens the intersection of fintech and creator commerce, as video platforms evolve into ecosystems that merge content, payments, and digital finance.
Video and fintech: The new frontier of e-commerce
Southeast Asia is at the forefront of video commerce. A Kantar study found that 85% of consumers in the region use YouTube Shorts as part of their shopping journey — often relying on creators for authentic product reviews and recommendations.
The region’s e-commerce market continues to surge, with video-driven transactions accounting for 20% of total online gross merchandise value (GMV) in 2024, according to the eConomy SEA Report.
In the Philippines, this trend is even more pronounced. YouTube said shopping-related watch time has grown by 70% year-on-year, while YouTube Shopping’s GMV has increased fivefold globally since its launch in Southeast Asia last year.
The rapid adoption of digital payments, powered by fintech platforms and e-wallets such as GCash, Maya, and Lazada Wallet, has made it so much easier for Filipinos to transact directly from creator content — blending entertainment, finance, and commerce in a single mobile experience.
Lazada partnership expands creator opportunities
Under the new collaboration, Lazada will join the YouTube Shopping affiliate network in the Philippines, allowing creators to promote Lazada’s vast product catalog within their content.
“We’re excited to empower our Lazada Affiliates with new earning opportunities through YouTube Shopping,” said Carlos Barrera, CEO of Lazada Philippines. “By connecting the country’s premier online destination for authentic brands with one of the most engaged video communities, we’re seamlessly bringing together content and commerce.”
Barrera added that the partnership reflects Lazada’s broader push toward creator-led digital commerce, a model that helps both brands and influencers drive sales while maintaining authenticity.
For YouTube creators, the partnership offers a new revenue stream, as they can now earn affiliate commissions on sales generated directly through their videos — a model that complements traditional ad monetization and brand sponsorships.
AI and new shopping features enhance user experience
YouTube also announced a lineup of new features to make online shopping more engaging and intuitive:
- Stickers on Shorts add visual prompts for instant product shopping.
- Timestamps show tagged items at the exact moment they appear in a video.
- The YouTube Shopping Chrome Extension lets creators easily save and tag products.
- Auto Timestamps, now powered by AI, automatically display product tags when mentioned in a video — capturing user interest in real time.
Prep Palacio, Country Manager of Google Philippines
Later this year, YouTube plans to test an AI system that can automatically identify and tag eligible productsmentioned in creator videos, streamlining the process even further.
“Creators are the heart of YouTube, and we are deeply committed to helping them thrive in the Philippines’ digital economy,” said Prep Palacio, Country Manager of Google Philippines.
“By welcoming Lazada into our affiliate program and introducing new AI-powered features, we’re scaling the YouTube Shopping experience and enabling creators to connect with fans and brands in more meaningful ways,” she further stated.
Driving the future of creator-led fintech
Experts note that YouTube’s expansion into commerce is part of a larger fintech narrative — one where content creation, affiliate payments, and digital wallets converge to reshape how Filipinos buy, earn, and spend.
Through seamless integrations with payment gateways and e-commerce platforms, YouTube Shopping is turning every video view into a potential financial transaction — and every creator into a fintech-enabled micro-entrepreneur.
As the lines between entertainment and finance continue to blur, the YouTube-Lazada partnership could mark a pivotal step toward a creator-driven digital economy — where fintech innovation fuels both creativity and commerce.
