Visa inks debit card partnership with RCBC

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January 22, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Visa has signed a debit partnership with Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., enabling customers of the Yuchengco-led bank to transact across millions of merchant locations worldwide through Visa’s network, both in store and online.

Under the partnership, RCBC will issue Visa debit cards that allow customers to make payments directly from their bank accounts, offering what Visa described as more secure and seamless payment options while retaining greater control over spending.

Visa Philippines Country Manager Jeffrey Navarro said the collaboration supports broader efforts to modernize the country’s payments landscape.

“By expanding the reach of debit payments, Visa helps accelerate the digitization of payments in the country,” Navarro said.

“This collaboration aligns with the government’s vision of a cash-lite society, with Visa debit cards empowering RCBC consumers to make seamless everyday payments backed by Visa’ s technology and global acceptance,” he added.

The move comes amid the growing use of debit cards across the region. Visa data showed that across Asia Pacific, 48 percent of all card transactions for both face-to-face and remote or online payment methods are made through debit cards.

RCBC president and CEO Reginaldo Anthony Cariaso underscored the importance of security as digital payments gain wider adoption.

“In an era where digital threats are evolving, security is not just a feature. It is the foundation. With Visa’s world-class security protocols and RCBC’s robust digital infrastructure, our customers can transact with absolute peace of mind,” Cariaso said.

“It also offers more choices and confidence in how our consumers pay wherever they are across the world,” he added.

The debit partnership builds on RCBC’s earlier initiatives with Visa in digital payments and cross-border transfers.

RCBC was among the first card issuers in the Philippines to tokenize card credentials when Visa launched Google Wallet and Google Pay in the country last year in partnership with Google, the FinTech Alliance of the Philippines, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Department of Information and Communication Technology.

The bank has also rolled out Visa Direct for outbound cross-border payments, allowing Filipino consumers and businesses to make secure, real-time transfers to billions of accounts in more than 190 countries and territories.

Visa said the latest partnership reinforces its commitment to working with local banks to expand access to digital payments, as demand for secure, convenient and globally accepted debit solutions continues to rise in the Philippines.