Tag: Digital wallet

Manila, Philippines – Local fiat and crypto wallet services provider Coins.ph has raised US$30m in their latest series C funding to accelerate investment in its Web3 ecosystem, as well as expand its presence in Southeast Asia.

In addition, the additional funding will support the company by reinforcing the platform’s crypto-native credentials and adding new products and services. Current growth plans include adding more cryptocurrency tokens, upgrading and relaunching the Coins.Pro exchange, offering additional crypto-focused merchant and payment services, supporting GameFi and guild management products, and entering new geographies.

For Wei Zhou, CEO of Coins.ph, the new funding is a significant milestone for the platform, and will allow them to accelerate and scale faster, bringing them one step closer to achieving their vision of being the go-to platform for all crypto, Web3, and P2E gaming in Southeast Asia.

He also added that as the Philippines continues to witness the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies, there is a real need for a secure, regulated, and user-friendly product in the market. Zhou also noted that they are solving that problem by delivering crypto and payment services that allow their customers to access, invest, trade, and spend their crypto assets seamlessly as a part of their daily lifestyles.

“We enable our users, even those without bank accounts, to easily access a wide range of financial services directly from their mobile phones. Our mission is to increase financial inclusion across Southeast Asia’s largely unbanked population of 650 million through our highly trusted brand and long track record of operating in full compliance with regulations. We see a massive opportunity to capture new users as engagement with Web3 surges in the Philippines and beyond. We will continue to build upon our leading market share and acquire new customers with a product that connects digital-first users with real-world goods and services,” he stated.

Coins.ph had been previously bought out by Zhou, who previously served as the chief financial officer at Binance, alongside Joffre Capital. Through the buyout, Zhou has been appointed as Coins.ph’s new CEO, as well as serving as CEO of the platform’s holding company that also operates Thailand’s blockchain-enabled platform, Coins.co.th.

Jakarta, Indonesia – As the average number of users on the platform balloon to over 30m every month, local digital wallet service DANA has introduced several updates on its ‘send money’ feature last January this year, which is noted as one of the most popular services used by the users.

Its first update is its saving feature, where users can enjoy up to 10 free transfers with Send Money, and will be only start being charged by the eleventh onwards at Rp2,500. Said update is also a form of DANA’s compliance and support for the payment system infrastructure provided by Bank Indonesia through BI-Fast.

Meanwhile, another feature called ‘monitor transfer process’ is also introduced where DANA users can now easily track, monitor, and directly trace their money transfer process. To facilitate the handling of each user’s digital transactions including the send money feature, DANA has also added a Resolution Centre that can be accessed directly.

Lastly, in a future update, DANA is preparing a ‘Favorite’ column that can group the user’s preferred list of family names or close relatives. Thus, when the next remittance is sent, the user only needs to go to the ‘Favorite’ column and select the destination more quickly.

Rangga Wiseno, chief product officer at DANA, said, “The Send Money feature is a mainstay feature that has been trusted by loyal DANA users. To enrich the user experience, we are constantly updating this feature to keep it relevant to the preferences and needs of today’s users.”

Wisono also noted that their digital wallet has been a cost-effective money transfer option, thanks to the free transfer fees. She added that their users, who are dominated by Generation Z and millennials, will be able to save money and save money from this fee.

“The Send Money feature in DANA is the most popular feature among users as it provides convenience and security in transferring money, both to fellow users and other accounts. The conveniences offered include flexibility in using several choices of funding sources, such as DANA balances, debit cards, or credit cards, and sending them through various ways such as between users, chat, to links,” the company said in a press statement.

Manila, Philippines – Top e-wallet in the Philippines GCash’s new service is a step forward in customer service and in fulfilling its brand promise of safe financial transactions. In partnership with Singapore-headquartered regional insurtech Igloo, GCash launches a first-of-its-kind online shopping insurance protection that will secure consumers from online marketplace fraud.

Igloo’s Online Shopping product is part of its Cyber Protection vertical, which secures financial loss arising directly from any online marketplace fraud. Through the partnership, GCash users will be protected from any transaction they make via online marketplaces such as Lazada, Shopee, including Viber, and Facebook marketplaces as long as their payment was fulfilled through the GCash platform. 

GCash continues to be the leading digital wallet in the Philippines and is continually amplifying its services. The fintech has also recently announced that it is eyeing to launch a Buy Now Pay Later service within this year. 

Martha Sazon, GCash’s president and CEO, said that the shopping insurance offering comes at a time when they have seen robust growth in online transactions and user base.

“With excellent customer experience being the heart of our business alongside value-added services through our platform, we are thrilled to launch this new product with Igloo that secures online transactions for our customers,” said Sazon.

Mario Berta, Igloo’s country manager for the Philippines, commented, “We are excited to partner with the leading e-wallet in the country, GCash, who shares the same vision of protecting digital consumers by pioneering innovative solutions to end-customers at an economical price. With the growing number of digital consumers in the country, now more than ever, is it most important to provide flexible solutions for the changing needs and processes of both businesses and customers.” 

According to GCash, its users currently stand at 46 million. The app has also had over 13 million log-ins per day, peaking at almost 15 million in the second quarter of 2021.

GCash has been integrating insurance as one of its value propositions to users. Within the app, it currently offers a line of insurance products similarly powered by Singapore-grown insurance firm, Singlife. GCash’s offerings are mainly characterized by low-cost premiums and include a range of protection from income loss to health coverage such as Dengue and even COVID-19.

The Online Shopping protection is one of the first products Igloo will be launching with GCash but will soon be rolling out more products with the e-wallet in the next six months that will be geared towards MSMEs.

Singapore – Singapore’s multicurrency e-wallet YouTrip revealed in a press announcement that it will be undergoing a brand rehaul, slated for early 2022. 

The advanced announcement comes as the fintech unveils its plans to establish an innovation lab in Singapore to fast-track its technology capabilities and product development. The fintech shared that the new lab will see its workforce double by 2022 which will be crucial in driving the development of a new suite of multicurrency products including the new brand identity. 

YouTrip’s brand proposition is to offer the best mobile financial services by simplifying foreign currency payments and offering the best exchange rates. With the new branding, the fintech aims to reflect its transformation from a travel wallet to a broader digital payments app that drives its mission of simplifying multicurrency spending. 

Together with a new brand debut, YouTrip will also be redesigned with new features such as a virtual card, an interactive exchange rates dashboard, and also YouTrip exclusive deals, as well as the ability to hold more popular currencies in the wallet.

YouTrip also revealed the launch of another product YouTrip Business, likewise to be released in early 2022. 

YouTrip Business is a new multicurrency corporate credit card aimed at helping companies of all sizes save money and time on cross-border payments. Compared to the consumer product, the new business card promises higher spending limits while transacting at the best exchange rates in over currencies, with credit terms offered to selected business account users. YouTrip Business will also enable companies to issue multicurrency cards to employees. 

Caecilia Chu, co-founder and CEO of YouTrip, commented that despite the travel standstill, there has been continued significant growth in overseas online spending which underscores the importance of cross-border payments for consumers and businesses.

According to YouTrip’s own cross-border e-commerce study for 2021, there has been an 84% year-on-year increase in online overseas purchases by Singaporean users from the period of July 2020 to June 2021.

Chu said, “With this shift in spending, our advancement in innovation to offer a wider suite of multicurrency is timely, and drives our goal of elevating the cross-border payment experience for our users in Singapore and the region. We are incredibly excited to embark on this next phase of our business growth and Singapore’s developed tech ecosystem provides the conducive conditions to propel this forward.”

She adds, “Singapore is a special place to us, being the first market where we introduced YouTrip to the world…we look forward to driving the next generation of cross-border payment innovations, and to help build a stronger pipeline of talents that will fortify Singapore’s position as a global fintech hub.”

Indonesia – Fintech DANA in Indonesia which provides a digital wallet has launched a new campaign called ‘Pakai DANA, #BebasDrama’ campaign, which translates to ‘Use DANA, #DramaFree’. 

With digital payment services enjoying an increased adoption at this period, DANA wants to remind consumers its position in convenience, and the new campaign aims to emphasize the three main benefits that DANA gives which are secured transactions, integrated financial solutions, and smart technology for easy transactions.

The #BebasDrama campaign follows its #GantiDompet campaign, which has the main message of “Change wallet.” Of the said campaign, DANA wanted to encourage Indonesians to shift from conventional money management to digitized wallets. Now the next plausible step is to help consumers realize how to best use a digital wallet.

“After inviting users to shift from conventional wallets to digital wallets in #GantiDompet campaign message, DANA now strengthens its role and position in varied daily activities. DANA is a digital wallet that’s able to set people free from payment impracticality and financial management,” said DANA in a press statement. 

The #BebasDrama campaign has been officially released in June, with an ad published on YouTube. The ad has already garnered over 17 million views as of writing. 

DANA said that the #BebasDrama campaign is also a manifestation of its efforts to reinspire the benefits of using a digital wallet among novice workers from Gen Y and Z who need practical solutions to support their transactions amid their vast productivity. DANA offers an array of features to manage daily activities ranging from money transfer, billers, to online commerce.

Vince Iswara, CEO and co-founder of DANA, said, “At this blossoming age, it provides us some space to explore and innovate in accordance with our users’ needs. We are aware of society’s desire to experience #BebasDama digital transactions that enable them with practicality, safety, and protection. Driven by this aspiration, DANA continues to develop new initiatives and affect the growth of users to application downloaders in both iOS and Android.”

In a social media post, DANA helps consumers tackle the three common money woes, or ‘dramas’, at the middle of the month

The #BebasDrama campaign also includes a strong content campaign on social media, specifically on DANA’s Instagram and Facebook pages. As a brand targeting young professionals, DANA’s social media content revolves around bite-sized helpful information on managing money. 

Manila, Philippines – ShopeePay, Shopee’s in-app digital wallet, will be running its cashless festival for the second time, this time, for its 4.4 platform sale. 

The special sale, called ‘ShopeePay Cashless Festival’, aims to encourage Filipino app users to shop, buy load, and pay bills through the digital wallet. The previously held cashless festival by Shopee was in February, while the currently ongoing festival will run up to 25 March.

All Shopee users who will pay via ShopeePay during the event will get to enjoy free shipping for a minimum spend of ₱149 on various categories. There will be sitewide free shipping vouchers redeemable for today for a minimum spend of ₱199, which will be released throughout the day in limited quantities. Meanwhile, there will be another all-day sitewide free shipping slated on 4 April. 

ShopeePay users can also enjoy exclusive ₱1 deals and different offers from local fast food brands, such as Jollibee, McDonald’s, and Dunkin’ Donuts, as well as Domino’s. Furthermore, on the festival’s slated last day 25 March, there will be flash deals for load buying throughout the day. Shoppers can get ₱20 load for only ₱10, and ₱50 load for only ₱37.

By using ShopeePay, shoppers can earn more coins cashback that they can use to get discounts on their next shopping spree.

Manila, Philippines – AdSpark, telecom Globe-owned digital marketing agency, extends its ad inventory for none other than, another Globe-owned platform, top digital wallet in the Philippines, GCash. 

For merchants, non-government organizations, and other partner brands on the financial app, AdSpark offers diversified ad opportunities ranging from targeted media channels in-app, to direct broadcast campaigns and blasts. 

“We are committed to assisting digital transformation of clients and partners especially at this time when enterprises are exploring more meaningful ways to interact with their consumers. GCash has empowered merchants through seamless transactions, and now we want to help brands create holistic experiences for their consumers,” said Onat Roldan, AdSpark CEO. 

AdSpark shared that one of its clients Codashop App, a gaming merchant, was able to increase its monthly game item purchases to 181% through its partnership with GCash. Coda communicated several monthly promo and game launches including Mobile Legends, MU Origins, and their latest product One Punch Man: The Strongest game, encouraging redemption of game credits and in-game items through the GCash usage.

Martha Sazon, president and CEO of GCash said, “Through strong brand partnerships as a payment channel, and a tool for sustainability and impactful advocacy on the app, GCash has established a way of life, driving the market closer towards financial inclusion. We believe that by making our platform accessible to brands, we will be able to bring businesses and customers together and help in the recovery of our economy.”

Singapore – As Singapore’s multi-currency mobile wallet YouTrip reaches its four-month mark in the short video platform TikTok, it shared how it maxes out the platform’s massive userbase to stay present in consumers’ minds. 

YouTrip established its TikTok account in June of this year, and as of current, it has a total of 32.5k followers and has garnered 691.3k likes across its videos.

YouTrip’s service comes with a prepaid Mastercard and enables users to pay in over 150 currencies with no fees. Branded as a “travel” wallet, its TikTok videos circle lifestyle content, such as tips on how to enjoy international destinations such as Spain, a list of the “coolest” Apple shops, and how one can get a taste of travel through whipping up different versions of super grain bowls. 

The brand revealed that it uses a two-pronged approach to leverage its presence in TikTok: making informative content and staying relevant to trends.

For valuable content, it adopted a strategy of adapting original blog articles that had performed well to the TikTok format. During the firm’s content planning process, it identified e-commerce shopping guides and hotel reviews as such. One of its most successful TikTok videos featured a guide to get the “Cheapest Nintendo Switch,” garnering over 119k views to date.

@youtripsg

If you know someone looking to buy a Nintendo Switch, share this with them! 💜👆🏼👀 #nintendoswitch #gaming #videogames #youtripsg #foryoupage #fyp

♬ original sound – YouTrip SG – YouTrip SG

In terms of staying within the wave of trends, YouTrip identified that it is vital to be the first-mover in driving reactive content on trending topics, audios, or hashtags.

Hopping onto the challenges bandwagon, YouTrip took an informative spin on the challenge featuring the trending song Kings and Queens by American singer Ava Max. In such challenge, users showcased culture and traditional costumes. YouTrip took the opportunity to emphasize its branding on travel and culture, and published a version featuring real queens from around the world. The rendition garnered over two million views and 12.8k followers in two weeks.

@youtripsg

We stan a true queen 👸. Like for part 2! #learnontiktok #youtripsg #kingsandqueens #queen

♬ original sound – YouTrip SG – YouTrip SG

The brand shared that by driving travel content, it also aims to strengthen its brand positioning to remain top-of-mind for when travel rebounds.

Head of Marketing Jeremy Lim said that curating meaningful content that resonates with users has been the core of YouTrip’s marketing strategies.

“Our venture into TikTok allows us to tap into our creativity to find new ways to connect with our users. We encourage brands to consider including TikTok in their marketing mix as well if they aim to establish themselves as relatable and reliable,” he said.

Chew Wee Ng, head of SEA business marketing at TikTok also commented, “TikTok is about embracing the creative, positive, and real moments that make our community so special, with solutions for businesses to connect and grow with our wonderfully expressive community.”

Ng also emphasized that with the right content strategy and a touch of authenticity, any brand can find success on the global stage with TikTok.

“YouTrip’s rapid growth on the platform is a prime example. As one of the first movers, they’ve incorporated TikTok early into their marketing mix and are now reaping its successes through a customized content strategy, collaboration with the TikTok community, and growing with a global audience,” said Ng.