Some bank cards can now be added to Apple Wallet in the Philippines, according to a post from the Facebook community page Digital Banks PH.
The page said it tested and successfully added a GoTyme Bank card to Wallet, calling it a sign that support for local bank-issued cards is starting to roll out.
It’s not yet clear whether users can actually make payments with these cards through Apple Pay, only that the card-adding step now works for some users.
Neither Apple nor any bank has officially confirmed a launch as of writing. Users can check by opening the Wallet app and tapping the “+” button, or by adding a card through Settings, then Wallet & Apple Pay.
Some commenters on the post said they needed to change their Apple ID region, in one case to Germany, before the option appeared, suggesting the rollout may still be partial or phased rather than fully live nationwide.
In the comments, users reported success adding cards from several banks beyond GoTyme.
One commenter listed GoTyme, UnionBank, Metrobank, and Chinabank as working, while others confirmed the card-adding step functioning for them without specifying a bank.
None of the commenters described actually completing a payment with the added card.
These reports are user-generated and have not been independently verified by the banks named or by Apple.
Matching Months of Anticipation
The reports align with weeks of industry speculation pointing to an August 4 launch for Apple Pay itself.
BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan said on 25 July that local banks were preparing to launch Apple Pay and told the public to “stay tuned.”
Several outlets have separately reported the same expected date, citing leaked bank promotional materials and training guides.
Being able to add a card to Wallet is typically a precondition for Apple Pay to work, but it doesn’t necessarily mean payments are live yet.
Apple Pay’s eventual arrival would follow Google Pay’s Philippine debut in November 2025, which launched with seven partner institutions: China Bank, EastWest Bank, GoTyme Bank, Maya Bank, RCBC, UnionBank, and Wise.
FinTech Alliance Philippines Founding Chairman Lito Villanueva said at the time that Google Pay’s early lead reflected the Philippines’ largely Android user base, and that the industry hoped for an “early” Apple Pay launch to follow.
