By the staff
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) has partnered with global payments firm Visa to issue Visa-branded debit cards, aiming to expand access to digital payments and give customers more flexibility for everyday transactions at home and abroad.
Under the partnership, RCBC clients can use the debit cards to pay directly from their bank accounts across Visa’s global network of millions of merchants, both in-store and online.
Visa said debit cards are gaining traction across Asia as consumers seek convenience, security and tighter spending control.
“With Visa debit credentials, RCBC customers now have more secure, seamless ways to pay while maintaining the familiar control of transacting directly from their bank accounts,” Visa said.
Debit cards account for a growing share of card payments in the Asia-Pacific region. Visa data showed that 48% of all card transactions in the region including face-to-face and online purchases are made using debit cards.
Visa Philippines country manager Jeffrey Navarro said the partnership supports government efforts to modernize the country’s payments ecosystem and reduce dependence on cash.
“By expanding the reach of debit payments, Visa helps accelerate the digitization of payments in the country. 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,” Navarro said.
RCBC president and CEO Reggie Cariaso said security remains central as digital payments become more widespread.
“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.”
The debit card rollout builds on RCBC’s earlier digital payments initiatives with Visa. The bank was among the first issuers in the Philippines to tokenize card credentials when Visa launched Google Wallet and Google Pay in the country last year, alongside Google, the FinTech Alliance of the Philippines, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Department of Information and Communication Technology.
RCBC has also adopted Visa Direct for outbound cross-border payments, enabling consumers and businesses to make secure, real-time transfers to billions of accounts in more than 190 countries and territories.
Visa said the partnership underscores its ongoing collaboration with Philippine banks as consumers increasingly turn to debit cards for both domestic and overseas transactions.
