GCash to roll out 'no signal pay' for areas with weak or no connectivity

GCash users will soon be able to make digital payments even where cellular signal is weak or absent, according to Edge Davao, as the e-wallet prepares to launch a feature called "no signal pay."

Martha Sazon, chief executive of GCash operator Mynt, confirmed the planned rollout in an interview. She said the feature will let people use their smartphones and the app to pay despite poor network connectivity, and will also work during app disruptions. Sazon cited riding the MRT and areas with weak signal as examples, adding that users will need to have a balance in their accounts.

Sazon said the feature is part of Mynt's push to make digital financial services more accessible, especially to Filipinos who are still outside the formal financial system. She said the company is tackling barriers that keep people from adopting digital payments, in line with its "finance for all" goal.

The announcement came as Mynt reported strong nine-month earnings, which Sazon attributed to growth in payments, money transfers and lending. She said GCash continues to serve households and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) despite rising living costs and the economy's slower 2.1 percent growth in the third quarter.

According to Sazon, the platform's GLoan and Fuse services offer small loans so borrowers can avoid informal lenders. GCash has also worked with government agencies to send financial aid, including P4,000 social welfare grants and fuel subsidies for transport workers, directly to beneficiaries' phones, sparing them the time and cost of queuing.

Sazon added that Mynt is using artificial intelligence to improve efficiency and speed up product development, and is working with international cybersecurity firms and government agencies to strengthen online safety and educate users about scams.