For a digital financial service provider, scalability and reliability are non-negotiable. The fintech industry thrives on seamless transactions, and any disruption can lead to lost revenue, customer dissatisfaction, and reputational damage.
GCash, the Philippines’ #1 Finance Super App, has experienced exponential growth in recent years.
Today, 8 out of 10 Filipinos have used GCash, and the platform now supports over 6 million merchants and social sellers. This rapid expansion placed immense pressure on its infrastructure, exposing limitations in its legacy database system.
John Vincent Biscocho, Head of Infrastructure Management and Strategy at GCash, explained the gravity of the challenge.
“Growth at that scale is both exciting and demanding. We had to rethink how we manage data on an unprecedented level. Scaling wasn’t just about adding more servers—it meant reimagining our entire database architecture,” he said.
These past few years, GCash has operated on traditional relational database services (RDBMS) solutions, which are hosted on the public cloud. However, as transaction volume surged, the previous solution proved to brew complex scenarios which evolved into open challenges when handling massive data loads.
John said that they often encountered high traffic, especially on peak hours, standard promotions, and anniversary sales days, all of which influence system performance on queries and latencies.
“In some cases, components of our service can experience short downtimes.” the Head of Infrastructure Management and Strategy at GCash explained.
Beyond performance concerns, costs were also skyrocketing.
With its data volume ballooning from hundreds of terabytes to multiple petabytes, GCash had to invest heavily in sharding and infrastructure expansion just to keep up.
John said that adding more hardware wasn’t the most sustainable solution because the overhead was enormous. He said that his company needs a far smarter, more cost-effective answer.
GCash’s Growth Outpaces Legacy Systems
Recognising the need for modernisation, GCash turned to OceanBase, a distributed database solution known for its ability to handle high-concurrency workloads, low-latency transactions, and cost-efficient scaling.
The decision to migrate was not taken lightly, as database transitions are complex and fraught with risks.
John recalled the selection process as a game-changer. At that time, GCash was in dire need of a database solution that could not only scale dynamically but also ensure that they were able to withstand high availability and resilience.
“OceanBase’s distributed architecture allowed us to process millions of transactions per second while maintaining system stability. It was a game-changer,” John Vincent Biscocho was caught saying.
John noted that the first step they took was to execute a dual-run strategy. He explained that it is a process where they ran OceanBase alongside their very own existing database. It is done in a way so that they can ensure a seamless transition before they move on to the next steps.
Secondly, he had his teams conduct extensive performance benchmarking and, during that process, also validated failover mechanisms before they went live.
The result? A flawless migration with zero downtime, something virtually unheard of in large-scale fintech transitions.
“Payments never sleep, so we had to ensure continuity. Fortunately, we never had to execute our rollback plan because the migration went smoothly,” John noted proudly.
Turning to OceanBase Distributed Database for Help
The implementation of OceanBase brought immediate and substantial benefits to GCash.
The company saw a 70% reduction in data storage space, enabled by OceanBase’s advanced compression technology. Database resource costs also dropped by 40%, allowing GCash to reinvest in other critical infrastructure improvements.
Additionally, operational efficiency improved significantly as the number of MySQL instances was reduced by approximately 80%, simplifying database management and reducing maintenance overhead.
With OceanBase’s three-zone high-availability architecture, GCash also ensured near-instant failovers and uninterrupted service, even during peak traffic periods.
Beyond performance gains, OceanBase empowered GCash to innovate.
“Now that we’ve moved past firefighting, we’re looking at strategic optimisations. We’re working on AI-driven fraud detection and real-time financial insights, which would have been impossible with our previous setup,” Biscocho revealed.
The shift from merely maintaining infrastructure to actively enhancing it has set GCash on a new trajectory, allowing the company to better anticipate future growth and user demands.
GCash harnesses OceanBase’s scalability to support its growing suite of financial services. Through its official lending arm, Fuse Lending Inc., GCash has disbursed PHP 186.8 billion in loans, empowering 6.9 million unique borrowers, many of whom are small business owners and individuals from underserved communities.
“We’re not just processing transactions anymore; we’re helping Filipinos build financial stability. The ability to analyse vast amounts of data in real-time allows us to provide more personalised financial products,” GCash’s Head of Infrastructure Management and Strategy explained.
The newfound agility also ensures that GCash can rapidly adapt to regulatory changes and evolving customer expectations.
Another key advantage has been the significant reduction in downtime, which is critical for a financial platform that operates 24/7.
“Reliability is everything in fintech. Even a few minutes of downtime can erode customer trust and confidence. With OceanBase, we’ve achieved a level of stability that allows us to serve our customers without interruption, regardless of traffic surges or unexpected failures,” John emphasised.
The distributed nature of OceanBase database ensures that if one zone experiences an issue, operations seamlessly continue in another, minimising the risk of disruption.
Advice From Lessons Learned
Reflecting on GCash’s journey, John emphasised that database modernisation is not just about upgrading technology. Destined leaders need to know that it’s also about positioning a business for the future.
“It’s not just about handling today’s workloads; it’s about anticipating tomorrow’s growth. We never expected to hit so many users this quickly, but because we invested in scalable infrastructure, we were ready,” he said.
He advised other fintechs to adopt a long-term perspective.
“Plan for scalability, but also think about cost efficiency. Overprovisioning hardware is a short-term fix that becomes unsustainable. And most importantly, choose a technology partner that understands your vision and can scale with you,” advised John.
One of the most significant takeaways from GCash’s experience is that database modernisation should not be seen as an isolated IT upgrade but as a strategic investment in business continuity and growth.
“Database modernisation allowed us to not just handle our current transaction volume but also prepare for the future. It’s an ongoing process that ensures we remain agile, competitive, and ready for whatever comes next,” he added.
GCash’s transition to OceanBase is a testament to the power of strategic infrastructure investments. GCash shifted to a high-performance, distributed database. As a result, the company has solidified its position as the top digital finance platform in the Philippines.
With a scalable and resilient system in place, the company is well-positioned for continued innovation and expansion.
GCash is expanding beyond the Philippines, with a growing international presence. The service is now available in 16 countries, including the USA, Canada, Italy, Japan, and the UAE.
The platform’s Global Pay service is accepted by 3 million merchants across 51 countries via Alipay, and its Visa card is now available in over 200 countries and territories.
“Every tap on the GCash app should be seamless. That’s the experience we strive to provide,” John said.
As fintech continues to evolve, the lesson is clear. Database modernisation isn’t just an IT decision, it’s a business imperative. And for companies looking to scale while maintaining performance, GCash’s journey serves as a compelling roadmap for success.
Featured image credit: Edited from Freepik
