GCash launches in-app beginner's guide to introduce crypto to everyday Filipinos

Interest in cryptocurrency continues to grow among Filipinos, with 96% showing awareness and over half expressing intent to invest within the year, according to a 2025 Consensys survey. Despite this high curiosity, many remain cautious and unsure where to begin.

To help everyday Filipinos take their first confident step into the world of crypto, finance super app GCash launches “A Beginner’s Guide to Cryptocurrency”, a free and exclusive in-app introduction to cryptocurrency, written and illustrated by Luis Buenaventura, Head of GCrypto. Buenaventura, a Filipino crypto author, artist, and entrepreneur, is widely recognized as a pioneer in the local and global crypto scene. 

The Filipino-focused, narrative-style guide breaks down complex concepts like Bitcoin, wallets, and volatility through familiar and practical examples like inflation and daily budgeting, making the topic more approachable for crypto newbies. 

“Storytelling makes learning personal and relatable. By grounding financial concepts into everyday examples, we aim to make complex topics like crypto approachable for anyone,” said Buenaventura.

Crypto: From Making Sense to Making Moves

Divided into eight chapters, the guide takes users through the fundamentals of crypto in a practical, easy-to-follow format that reflects the real financial experiences of Filipinos. It starts with why cryptocurrency was developed–tracing its roots to real-world economic challenges, particularly inflation and its impact on people’s savings and purchasing power. From there, it walks readers through Bitcoin's rise and volatility. 

“Understanding why crypto matters is the first step to learning how to use it wisely,” Buenaventura noted. “By helping them understand the balance of ‘high risk, high reward,’ we aim to set realistic expectations before they dive into actual investing.”

Once readers have a grasp of cryptocurrency, the book guides them towards taking their first careful step into investing. It emphasizes the importance of building traditional savings, maintaining diversified investments, and treating crypto as a complement—not a replacement—to other financial foundations.

The succeeding chapters explore the tools and mindsets needed to invest responsibly. It explains wallet apps, satoshis, and trading basics, and introduces other cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin, such as Ethereum, Solana, stablecoins, and high-volatility memecoins. 

It also dives into the mindset behind investing, tackling topics like moments of doubt, the importance of discipline, and the value of long-term thinking. Ultimately, it brings the conversation back to purpose—that crypto should serve real-life goals, helping Filipinos fund dreams, support their families, and celebrate financial progress responsibly.

“Our goal is to educate Filipinos on the responsible use of cryptocurrency, enabling them to take confident, informed steps into the future of finance,” Buenaventura added.

Crypto na Gets Mo

Accessible with just a few taps, “A Beginner’s Guide to Cryptocurrency” is now available through GCrypto, a secure marketplace within the GCash app where users can buy, sell, and learn about crypto safely. 

“By publishing the book directly on the GCrypto platform, users can learn and explore at their own pace within a secure environment. This helps Filipinos build confidence and make informed decisions as they navigate the world of crypto,” said Buenaventura. 

With streamlined registration, low minimum investment options, and a curated selection of reputable coins reviewed by security experts, GCrypto aims to make cryptocurrency more accessible and less intimidating for Filipino users.

Users can register and begin trading with just their fully verified GCash account, with no separate onboarding required. With investment entry points starting at just ₱200, GCrypto lowers the barrier for participation in the digital economy. 

The platform also offers a carefully curated portfolio of trusted cryptocurrencies, helping users make informed choices among reputable coins vetted for security and reliability. It also supports seamless conversion between pesos and crypto, as well as blockchain transactions for sending and receiving funds, all within the GCash app.

Users can access the book by opening the GCash app, tapping ‘Grow,’ and selecting GCrypto.

Ready to take your first step into crypto? Download the GCash App on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery. Kaya mo, i-GCash mo!

Love may be blind, but trust shouldn’t be: GCash strengthens consumer protection efforts against love scams

 

GCash reminds users to watch out for warning signs of love scams

GCash continues to step up its security systems and awareness campaigns as part of its thrust in consumer protection. The initiative aligns with advisories from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG).

Authorities say love scams remain one of the most common online fraud schemes, where criminals build and take advantage of emotional connections before asking for money. Recent data from the CICC show 123 love scam complaints in 2025, with 18 cases recorded in January 2026 alone. Cases usually increase during the love month as scammers become more active.

Common signs of romance/love scams

Government advisories highlight several warning signs:

• Sudden requests for money under the guise of emergencies, travel, or medical needs

• Refusal to meet in person or join live video calls

• Profiles with overly polished or unrealistic photos

• Persistent pressure to send money or invest in unfamiliar platforms

Authorities remind the public to be extra vigilant, verify identities, and avoid sending money to people they have only met online. 

Investing in prevention and user protection

To help stop scams before they happen, GCash continues to invest in technology, partnerships, and user education. The company works closely with the DICT, CICC, PNP-ACG, and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to support investigations and public awareness efforts.

On the platform, GCash maintains several layers of protection, including:

• Verified user identities through strict KYC processes

• Real-time fraud monitoring

• Account security features such as PINs, OTPs, and device checks

• Confirmation prompts when sending money to a new contact or recipient

• In-app advisories on common scam tactics

Users can also report suspicious activity through the app’s Help Center or official customer support channels.

“Love scams often rely on emotional manipulation rather than technical attacks,” said Miguel Geronilla, Chief Information Security Officer at Mynt, parent company of GCash. “We continue to strengthen our security systems and work closely with government agencies, but users should always verify before sending money to someone they only know online,” he added. 

Government advisories also note that senior citizens are among the most targeted groups, making awareness and platform safeguards even more important.

Through continued investments in security, partnerships, and public education, GCash aims to create a safer digital financial experience for Filipinos, making cybersecurity a top priority for GCash, our partners, and regulators.

For more information, visit www.gcash.com.

GCash MRT-3 Payment: Skip Top-Up Hassles and Ride Cashless in the Philippines

 Days move fast. For daily commuters, they are a constant juggle—beating the rush, staying on schedule, and making sure you get from home to work as quickly as possible.

Which is why nothing spikes commuter stress like realizing you’re low on balance—right when you’re already in line, already late, and already surrounded by equally rushed strangers. 

Suddenly, it’s a scramble: searching for a top-up station, queuing behind others, or dealing with reloading machines that seem to break only during peak hours or even the ticket booths where card top-up lines merge with single-journey ticket purchases. In the middle of rush hour, these small hiccups turn into full-blown setbacks, proving that top-up problems don’t just delay your commute—they derail your entire day.

One Less Thing to Worry About—Thanks to GCash 

Somewhere between the morning rush and the daily routine, you discover GCash—and finally, no more second-guessing your balance while the line grows longer behind you, checking your balance in a stored value card reader, or lining up again to reload at the ticket booth or machine. 

With GCash, your phone or GCash Visa Card is your train ticket!

And even on days when you do need to cash in, it’s easy–You can CASH IN FOR FREE at GCash cash in machines, available across all MRT-3 stations, or transfer funds online from your bank accounts. Topping up can fit seamlessly into your commute instead of disrupting it. With FREE WI-FI AT THE MRT also available, you can complete transactions on the spot—no data, no detours, just a smoother commute from start to finish.

With GCash, you can ride the MRT-3 in hassle-free ways: 

Tap to Pay using your phone

Using an NFC-enabled Android phone? Great news! Your device is now your ticket for a seamless entry and exit pass.

To get started, GCash Tap to Pay is a quick, one-time activation:

1. Simply tap Settings on your mobile phone.

2. Turn on the NFC feature.

3. Login to your GCash app.

4. Select Tap to Pay and agree to the Terms & Conditions.

Once activated, paying for your MRT-3 ride is just one tap away. Just login to your GCash app, then tap your phone on the turnstile upon entry to proceed to the platform. Upon exit, don’t forget to tap your phone again at turnstile to automatically deduct the exact fare.

Scan your GCash Commute QR 

No NFC-enabled Android phone for tapping? No worries! You can still enjoy the convenience of cashless commuting by generating a Commute QR code on your GCash app, serving as your digital ticket without the need to input any station details. 

Here's how easy it is:

1. At the start of the trip, tap Commute on the GCash app.

2. Click Generate QR. You may download the QR or take a screenshot.

3. Scan your Commute QR at the turnstile, then proceed to the train platform.

Upon exit, just scan the same QR code again, and the exact fare will be automatically deducted from your account. 

Tap your GCash Visa Card

Spotty signal, running out of battery, or simply love using a card? You can still breeze through your MRT-3 commute using your GCash Visa Card. Just like the current card ticketing system, you can simply tap your card upon entry and again upon exit. The GCash Visa Card is linked to your GCash wallet – use it directly to pay not just for MRT rides but also shopping in millions of online and offline stores and withdraw from your GCash account in any ATM for as low as P10. See the details of your GCash Visa Card payments on your app’s Transaction History.

To use this convenient payment method, order your GCash Visa Card on the app, and after it is delivered to you, make sure to link it to your GCash account:

1. Tap 'Cards' in the GCash app to order or link your GCash Visa Card.

2. To order – Select ‘Order a Card,’ then input your delivery address and pay P250. It will be delivered to you in 7-10 days.

3. To link – Select 'Link my Card,' then input the One-Time Pin (OTP) and submit.

4. Enter the last 4 digits of your card and your virtual account number found on the back, then submit.

In a world where every minute is accounted for, convenience isn’t a luxury—it’s self-care. Saving precious minutes by skipping the line at the ticket booth or machine, eliminating a bit of stress there, and keeping your headspace intact can make all the difference in how the day feels. Simple tools, like GCash, take the friction out of everyday routines, proving that small wins add up.

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With its growing daily usage, GCash has become a trusted and established payment option at MRT-3—making it a seamless part of the everyday commute. Whether you tap, scan, or use your card, you are not just skipping one extra line and saving yourself time, but also experiencing a global, innovative way to pay with GCash!

Ready to power up your commute journey? Download the GCash App on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery.

GCash lending arm Fuse advances AI use to strengthen responsible collections practices and protect customer dignity

(L-R) Wiz.Ai chief operating officer Alex Song, Mynt (parent company of GCash) chief technology and operations officer Pebbles Sy, Wiz.Ai chief executive officer Jianfeng Lu, and Fuse Financing Inc. President and CEO Tony Isidro

Fuse Financing Inc., the lending arm of GCash, is enhancing its customer servicing as it expands its strategic partnership with artificial intelligence (AI) solutions provider Wiz.AI, automating key processes within its collections operations, particularly Quality Assurance (QA) to strengthen the audit process and overall service quality. 

Leveraging the expertise of Wiz.AI, voice AI will review and assess call recordings, evaluating performance based on service quality. This integration will help ensure that human agents remain respectful and uphold the company’s commitment to fair and responsible collection practices. 

"Our partnership with Wiz.AI has already transformed how we manage high-volume collection calls, and with this renewed collaboration, we’re excited to explore new frontiers in automation. By integrating voice AI into our QA processes, we’re not only improving operational efficiency but also ensuring a more consistent and personalized customer experience,” said Tony Isidro, president and CEO of Fuse Financing Inc. 

“This innovation will also support our audit process to ensure our agents remain responsible, while helping us gain insights into how we can further enhance the way we serve our customers and continuously improve our service. We highly value our customers’ dignity and maintain zero tolerance for harassment or abusive practices,” Isidro added.

Over the past three years, the lending arm of the country’s leading finance super app, GCash, and Wiz.AI have worked together to deploy VoiceBot, an AI-powered voice automation tool that handles high-volume, routine collection calls. The solution has reduced the heavy manual workload, allowing agents to focus on more complex and high-value customer concerns that require human interaction. 

This marks a major step toward solving one of the lending industry’s biggest challenges: labor-intensive processes– while enhancing scalability,  reducing errors, and improving the overall customer experience.

Wiz.AI’s technology enables the lending arm to offload repetitive, lower-value tasks from human agents, such as making reminder calls or verifying information. This allows agents to focus on complex customer interactions that require empathy, negotiation, or deeper problem-solving—improving both productivity and service quality.

“Fuse's success in leveraging voice AI is a perfect example of how the GCash ecosystem uses smart technology to solve core friction points for financial inclusion,” said Pebbles Sy, chief technology and operations officer of Mynt, the parent company of GCash. “This partnership ensures our lending platform is scalable, trustworthy, and efficient, allowing us to safely serve millions more Filipinos.”

“This partnership is a testament to the transformative power of enterprise voice AI when applied to visionary financial ecosystems like GCash. At WIZ.AI, we’ve built our reputation as the most trusted  AI partner because we understand that leaders need more than technology—they need solutions that integrate seamlessly and scale reliably. By expanding into quality assurance, we are jointly setting a new benchmark for digital lending operations across the region,” said Jianfeng Lu, Wiz.AI chief executive officer. 

By integrating automation into both its customer service and QA functions, Fuse is directly addressing the industry’s biggest bottlenecks: limited capacity, high cost, and inconsistent quality. The result is a more scalable, accurate, and sustainable lending operation that combines digital precision with human expertise.

As Fuse Financing and Wiz.AI continue to expand their collaboration, both companies remain focused on creating a future where lending is not only faster and more efficient but also smarter, setting new standards for digital finance in the Philippines.

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.

The Worth-It Way to Celebrate Chinese New Year in Hong Kong and Macau

When you think of traveling to Hong Kong, it’s easy to see why Macau is often visited too—they’re just so close! With its endless shopping spots, iconic attractions, and mouthwatering delicacies, these places have become popular holiday destinations for many Filipinos - especially during Chinese New Year. 

Sneaker Street Hero

Trips to these cities can feel pricey, especially if you’re traveling with family. But it doesn’t always have to be that way! There are plenty of cool spots and tasty eats in both cities where you can score great value without sacrificing the experience. 

With your GCash Visa Card and e-wallet, every swipe, scan, or tap helps your money go further—thanks to lower forex rates, more deals, easy payments, real-time spend tracking, and no more counting change.

And if you want great value, you can get that for sure when you use the ultimate shopping hack from GCash. All you need is your GCash Visa Card  and e-wallet so you can Swipe-Scan-Tap. When you do, you can stretch every peso, thanks to lower forex rates, more deals, easy payments, real-time spend tracking, and no more counting change. 

If you’re heading to Hong Kong and Macau for the Lunar New Year, check out these stops that are perfect for families and guaranteed to give a worth it experience. 

Macau Tower Selfie

Shop sulit and smart hauls at wholesale stores and markets

Hong Kong is admittedly a shopping haven - but if you want to shop smart, you need to know where to go. Lung Fung Mall offers beauty, skincare, and health products at friendlier prices than malls. You can find fragrances, skincare, and other beauty products at reduced prices at their many locations across Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, if you’re finally ready to buy that brand new item you’ve been saving up for, like new running shoes, a bag, or workout gear, Citygate Outlets is your best option. They carry many brands, such as Lululemon, Evisu, Marimekko, and many more. 

For seasoned travellers who frequent Hong Kong, going to Mong Kok to buy clothes, snacks, and a wide variety of anik-anik is also a no-brainer. If you’ve ever heard of Sneaker Street and Ladies Market, you can find things for you and for your pasalubong back home. The best part is that you can still haggle the prices in certain stores, making shopping in the area even more budget-friendly—so get your tawad skills ready!

And when carrying multiple bags after your pasalubong spree becomes a hassle, you can tap your way to easy, convenient payments with GCash Tap to Pay. Available for all NFC-enabled Android smartphones, it lets you pay with just one tap—making it much easier to get around the often-crowded streets.

Lung Fung Mall

 

Lung Fung Area

Marvin and Anik Aniks.jpg

Discover hidden gems and family fun in Macau

Macau isn’t just about its famous landmarks and beautiful architecture – though it is worth going just to see them for yourself. But there are also many fun experiences that the family can enjoy, and it’s all just a convenient ferry ticket away! These boat trips take about an hour from the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, and you can secure your tickets by paying with GCash Scan to Pay for a hassle-free experience. Simply generate your QR code and select Pay Abroad with GCash, and look for merchants with a QR code bearing the A+ logo to scan. 

If you’re looking for local delicacies, head over to Taipa Village, where you can stock up on crowd favorites like beef jerky and almond cookies. These treats are delicious, affordable, and loved by locals! 

You can also book tickets to teamLab SuperNature Macau, an incredible interactive art space with 8-meter-tall, colorful exhibitions that kids and adults will enjoy. 

TeamLab Macau

Here’s a secret hack when paying with GCash abroad: some merchants also offer special promos and discounts up to PHP 1,500 off, just tap Travel and go into Travel Treats to browse what’s available.

Eat without the splurge at Yung’s Tangerine Peel Roast Goose and Cheung Hing Kee

One of the best parts of traveling to Hong Kong and Macao is the food. You can’t leave Hong Kong without trying their roast goose, and a great spot to try is Yung's Tangerine Peel Roast Goose. Yung’s is rich and flavorful, and best of all, budget friendly.

Yung’s Tangerine Peel Roast Goose                      Yung’s Tangerine Peel Roast Goose

When you hear that a restaurant has been recognized by Michelin, would you believe that you don’t have to pay a fortune for high-quality food? Because that’s what you can expect from MICHELIN Bib Gourmand Cheung Hing Kee Shanghai Pan-fried Buns at Lock Road. Other than their pan-fried buns, their scallion noodles and wontons are a must-try—perfect bites to snack on when you want to refuel while exploring the city. 

Scan, Swipe, and Tap for a sulit and enjoyable trip

SCAN TO PAY

Traveling on a budget doesn’t have to mean limiting yourself. When you pay with GCash abroad, you get real-time control over your spending, low forex rates updated instantly in-app, and fast, convenient transactions throughout your trip — all while enjoying to the fullest. Remember to scan, swipe, and tap for an experience you’ll definitely say is worth it! Download the GCash app today to get started.