Visa has launched Garmin Pay in the Philippines to provide local smartwatch users with a new secure contactless payment option, according to ABS-CBN.

The feature enables EastWest Bank and GoTyme Bank Visa cardholders to make secure transactions using their compatible wearables.

Foreign visitors with supported cards can also use their smartwatches at any contactless terminal nationwide.

The Philippines is now the fifth Southeast Asian market to adopt the platform after Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.

The rollout uses Visa tokenisation technology to replace actual card numbers with secure digital tokens to minimise fraud.

Visa Philippines Country Manager Jeffrey Navarro stated:

“Contactless payment platforms such as Garmin Pay amplify Visa’s benefit to Filipinos, enabling speed, convenience, and security with every contactless transaction.”

Navarro added that the technology empowers local merchants to embrace digital transactions and supports government efforts to build a cash lite economy.

The initiative aims to capture growing regional trends where over 71% of Asia Pacific consumers prefer using smart devices for in store payments.

The company expects the move to also benefit the local tourism sector.

Research shows that 97% of regional travellers prefer using cards over foreign currency during their trips.

The same study revealed that 44% of tourists in the country still encounter payment issues including merchant non acceptance.

This wearable payment initiative builds on a 2025 collaboration that introduced Google Wallet and Google Pay to the local market.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Philippines based on an image by kuprevich via Magnific.