The Philippines' most widely used e-wallet, covering QR payments, transfers, bills, online shopping, remittance and virtual cards — a core payment tool for daily life and travel there.
!Not a bank. GCash is a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)-licensed electronic money issuer and remittance/transfer operator. Wallet balances are e-money, not bank deposits, and are not insured by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC).
A Philippine mobile number is mandatory (Globe/Smart prepaid SIM, purchasable with a passport). Long-stay residents can upgrade to Fully Verified with an ACR I-Card, Philippine driving licence, SRRV, diplomatic ID or Alien Employment Permit. Short-stay visitors can use the official GCash GTourist tier: opened with a foreign number/card plus a passport, valid 30 days, with a PHP 100,000 limit — designed specifically for short visits.
No minimum top-up; Basic accounts cap the balance at PHP 10,000｜Free to open. QR payments and most bill payments are free; over-the-counter cash-in at SM, Palawan and similar outlets may charge about 3%; InstaPay bank transfers and cash-out are charged per transaction.
Basic: PHP 10,000 balance cap and PHP 5,000 monthly incoming. Fully Verified and GTourist: up to PHP 100,000 (GTourist is valid 30 days). Balances are e-money and are not insured by PDIC.
A Philippine mobile number is mandatory (Globe/Smart prepaid SIM, purchasable with a passport). Long-stay residents can upgrade to Fully Verified with an ACR I-Card, Philippine driving licence, SRRV, diplomatic ID or Alien Employment Permit. Short-stay visitors can use the official GCash GTourist tier: opened with a foreign number/card plus a passport, valid 30 days, with a PHP 100,000 limit — designed specifically for short visits.
Local bank account: Not required. Items typically needed: A Philippine mobile number (registered Globe/Smart SIM); Passport and a valid visa; ACR I-Card, Philippine driving licence, SRRV or work permit (for residents upgrading); A local Philippine address; Cash or a local bank account for reloads.
Typically: A Philippine mobile number (registered Globe/Smart SIM); Passport and a valid visa; ACR I-Card, Philippine driving licence, SRRV or work permit (for residents upgrading); A local Philippine address; Cash or a local bank account for reloads.
How to sign up: Fully online — register a Philippine number in the app and complete KYC with a passport or ACR I-Card (Registration takes about 10 minutes; KYC review is usually within 24 hours). Steps: 1) Buy a Globe/Smart SIM with your passport at the airport or a store and register it 2) Download GCash and register with the Philippine number 3) Set your 4-digit MPIN and complete SMS verification 4) Choose your path: residents upload an ACR I-Card etc.; tourists pick GTourist and upload a passport 5) Wait for KYC approval (usually within 24 hours) 6) Reload via convenience stores, SM/Bayad Center cash-in or bank transfer Fees: Free to open. QR payments and most bill payments are free; over-the-counter cash-in at SM, Palawan and similar outlets may charge about 3%; InstaPay bank transfers and cash-out are charged per transaction.
Basic: PHP 10,000 balance cap and PHP 5,000 monthly incoming. Fully Verified and GTourist: up to PHP 100,000 (GTourist is valid 30 days). Balances are e-money and are not insured by PDIC.
E-wallet rules change often — always follow the latest instructions in the official app.