How GCash and Thunes Are Transforming Cross-Border Payments for Filipino Communities Abroad

Overview

GCash is the Philippines’ leading finance super app, with 8 out of 10 Filipinos relying on it to manage their financial lives – from paying bills and sending money to accessing credit and insurance.

As the country’s largest cashless ecosystem, GCash plays a vital role in promoting financial inclusion.

With over two million Filipinos working overseas to support their family members back home, the ability to send money home efficiently is essential.

GCash partnered with Thunes, the Smart Superhighway for global payments, to streamline this process.

Together, we launched a pioneering solution that enables Filipinos in the UK and Europe to instantly and affordably top up GCash wallets directly from their foreign bank accounts.

The Problem

Remittances to the Philippines hit a record high of $38.3 billion in 2024. Yet for many overseas Filipino workers, sending money home remained challenging. Traditional remittance methods posed several challenges:

• High transaction fees and unfavourable exchange rates

• Delays of 24 to 48 hours or more to complete a transfer

• Complicated, multi-step processes that often require in-person visits to remittance agents

• Limited visibility and control over how funds were used

GCash needed a real-time, digital-first solution to remove these pain points – making cross-border money transfers faster, simpler, and more transparent for both senders and recipients.

The Solution

In November 2024, GCash and Thunes introduced a cross-border digital wallet top-up feature, powered by Thunes’ Direct Global Network. This enables GCash users to receive real-time payments directly into their mobile wallets, funded from UK and European bank accounts.

How it works:

• Seamless integration: Users can now top up their GCash wallets from within the app using their overseas bank accounts

• Direct payment flow: No intermediaries or bank-related network delays; payments flow directly to recipients

• Real-time transactions: Transfers settle instantly, giving immediate access to funds from overseas

  Smart FX Management: Thunes’ SmartX Treasury System ensures competitive exchange rates and minimises volatility

• Built-in Compliance: The Fortress Compliance Platform protects against fraud and ensures full adherence to AML/KYC regulations

This solution combines intuitive design with enterprise-grade technology, empowering users and simplifying operations for both GCash and its customers.

The Impact

For overseas Filipinos, this collaboration represents a significant leap forward in how they send money home:

• Greater convenience: No need to queue at remittance counters – just a few taps in the GCash app

• Faster access to funds: Loved ones can receive money in minutes, not days

• More money to families: Lower fees and better FX rates mean more value per transaction

• Financial oversight: Direct top-ups ensure funds are used as intended – whether for school fees, groceries, or medical bills. The sender keeps control of the funds

The GCash-Thunes partnership has redefined how Filipinos abroad support their families.

With 98% of transactions settling in real time, recipients gain immediate access to funds for urgent needs such as education, healthcare, and daily essentials, removing the delays often associated with traditional channels.

For GCash, this integration simplifies operations and reduces dependency on legacy remittance systems, cutting costs while boosting wallet activity.

Easier top-ups also lead to greater user engagement across the platform’s full suite of financial services.

This solution is more than just a cross-border transfer upgrade – it’s a blueprint for modern financial inclusion.

With Thunes’ global infrastructure and the wide reach of GCash, digital wallets are emerging as the preferred way to move money across borders: safe, fast, and designed for everyday life.