Maya has rolled out Google Pay support for its credit cards, making it one of the first banks in the Philippines to offer tap-to-pay transactions directly linked to credit lines. The launch positions the fintech as an early mover in bringing global-standard mobile contactless payments to Filipino consumers.
Effective November 18, Maya Credit Card holders can now download Google Wallet from the Play Store, add their cards, and use their Android phones to tap at any Visa or Mastercard contactless terminal worldwide.
The company said the feature will soon be accessible directly through the Maya app. Support for prepaid cards is also planned, paving the way for what the company describes as the country’s first multi-card, cross-platform tap-to-pay ecosystem.
Shailesh Baidwan, Maya Group President and Co-Founder of Maya Bank
“We’re making Tap-to-Pay truly frictionless,” said Shailesh Baidwan, Maya Group President and Co-Founder of Maya Bank. “Whether you tap with a credit or prepaid card — and now with Google Pay —the experience will be instant, secure, and seamless. Because the company operates both the payments and banking rails, we can deliver an exceptional end-to-end experience.”
Google Philippines echoed this view, highlighting the partnership’s role in supporting the country’s digital transformation.
Prep Palacios, Country Manager of Google Philippines
“We’re proud to work with Maya to bring faster, convenient, and more secure payments to the Philippines,” said Prep Palacios, Country Manager of Google Philippines. “This launch reinforces our commitment to advancing financial inclusion and supporting the growth of the Philippine digital economy.”
A new model for contactless payments
While most mobile contactless payment options in the Philippines still rely on stored wallet balances— or are limited to Android — Maya is taking a different path by connecting Tap-to-Pay directly to users’ card accounts.
This allows customers to transact using their existing credit lines, and eventually their prepaid balances, without the need to top up a wallet.
Each tap is secured using Visa-grade tokenization, which replaces sensitive card details with encrypted digital tokens validated in real time for global-level security.
The company says its advantage stems from its integrated financial ecosystem — powered by Maya Bank for digital banking and Maya Philippines for payments — enabling it to implement international standards quickly and scale them nationwide.
How to use Maya credit cards with Google Pay
Using the company’s credit card through Google Pay involves three steps:
- Download Google Wallet and add your credit card.
- Unlock your phone.
- Tap at any Visa or Mastercard contactless terminal worldwide.
No scanning, no manual approval, and no waiting — just tap-and-go transactions with all existing rewards from the company’s credit card.
Driving the next phase of digital payments
According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), digital payments now account for 57% of retail transactions by volume and 59% by value. While QR-based payments surged during the pandemic, the return of foot traffic to physical stores has renewed consumer demand for speed, reliability, and convenience.
The company expects tap-to-pay adoption to accelerate as NFC-enabled terminals continue to expand nationwide. By merging mobile ease with the global acceptance of card networks, tap-based transactions are poised to become a major growth driver for the local payments landscape.
Toward a universal tap-to-pay system
With Google Pay now supporting the company’s credit cards, Maya is positioning itself at the forefront of the country’s contactless future.
It is among the first banks in the Philippines to enable credit card–linked Tap-to-Pay, and the only fintech organization building toward a universal system that will eventually work across credit and prepaid cards — whether through Google Pay or directly in the Maya app.
