Accepting BPI payments: guide for e-commerce businesses

Digital payments now sit at the centre of everyday commerce in the Philippines. What was once a card-led market has shifted toward mobile and online account-based payments, driven by widespread smartphone use and strong adoption of banking apps. In 2024, digital payments accounted for over 57% of all retail payment volume in the country, up from just one percent in 2013. The central bank has set a clear direction, aiming for 60-70% of retail payments to be digital by 2028.

For e-commerce merchants, this shift changes how customers expect to pay. Credit card coverage still matters, but many shoppers now prefer to make payments directly from their bank account using a mobile app. Accepting BPI payments allows merchants to meet customers where they already manage their money, pay bills, and approve transactions.

What is BPI?

The Bank of the Philippine Islands, commonly known as BPI, is one of the oldest and largest commercial banks in the Philippines. It serves millions of individual and business customers across retail banking, lending, cards, and digital services.

BPI plays a central role in the country’s banking ecosystem. Many Filipino consumers rely on BPI accounts for salary deposits, paying bills, sending money, and day-to-day spending. Over the past decade, BPI has invested heavily in digital banking, with a mobile app and online banking platform that support transfers, bill payments, and e-commerce transactions.

For merchants, BPI matters for several reasons:

• A large, active customer base with high trust in the brand
• Strong usage of the BPI app for approving transactions and managing payments
• Broad coverage across debit cards, credit cards, online banking, and QR-based payments

In practical terms, BPI often acts as the customer’s primary financial hub. When you offer BPI payment options, you align your checkout with familiar customer behaviour rather than asking shoppers to switch tools.

BPI payments at checkout

BPI payments are not a single method. Customers can pay using several different flows, each with its own experience and best-fit use cases.

Online banking and app-based payments

This is the most recognisable BPI online payment flow for e-commerce.

At checkout, the customer selects BPI as their payment option. They are then directed to authenticate the transaction using BPI online or the BPI app on their mobile device. After reviewing the transaction details, they confirm the payment, and the merchant receives the transaction result.

This flow works well when:

• Order values are medium to high
• Customers want reassurance from their bank before paying
• Trust and security matter more than raw speed

From a user experience perspective, a few details matter:

• Clear instructions before redirecting the customer to the BPI app
• Language that matches local expectations
• Sensible timeout handling so customers are not left unsure whether the transaction succeeded

As digital payments continue to grow in the Philippines, bank app-based payments have become a common alternative to credit card entry, especially for customers who prefer not to store card details online.

QR Ph person-to-merchant payments

QR Ph is the national QR standard used across participating banks and wallets in the Philippines. It allows customers to scan one QR code and pay from their preferred banking or payment app, including BPI.

For online commerce, QR-based flows are typically used in specific scenarios rather than standard one-device checkout. Common examples include:

• Scan-to-pay flows where the shopper views a QR code on a laptop and completes payment using the BPI app on their mobile phone
• Payment links or invoices sent through email, chat, or social channels

QR Ph supports interoperability, which reduces friction for customers and simplifies acceptance for merchants. As mobile payments continue to replace cash for everyday transactions, QR-based payments have become a familiar way for customers to make payments without entering card or bank details.

Direct debit

Direct debit allows merchants to collect payments directly from a customer’s bank account after the customer has given prior authorisation.

This method is commonly used for:

• Subscriptions
• Tuition or education fees
• Memberships
• Recurring service bills

The customer authorises the mandate once, often through their banking app. After that, payments are collected automatically according to the agreed schedule.

For merchants, direct debit requires clear operational handling:

• Transparent mandate capture and storage
• Advance communication before each debit where required
• Processes for failed debits and retries
• Simple cancellation and refund handling

As more consumers use bank apps to manage recurring bills, direct debit fits naturally into established payment habits.

Bank transfer push payments

Some merchants offer BPI payments as a bank transfer option rather than a branded online banking flow.

In these cases, the customer receives transfer instructions and pushes the payment from their BPI account. This can work well for invoices, higher-value purchases, or situations where immediate confirmation is not essential.

To reduce friction and manual effort:

• Use unique reference IDs for each transaction
• Set clear expiry windows for payment completion
• Automate reconciliation where possible

Structured bank transfer flows tend to perform better than open-ended manual transfers, particularly as transaction volumes increase.

Where merchants can accept BPI payments

BPI payment methods can be offered across multiple channels:

• Online checkouts using hosted payment pages, APIs, or SDKs
• Mobile apps where customers complete payments through the BPI app
• In-store environments using QR Ph or terminal-based acceptance
• Subscription and recurring billing setups using direct debit

This flexibility allows merchants to use BPI payments beyond traditional e-commerce, supporting omnichannel and recurring revenue models.

Should you accept BPI payments?

Accepting BPI payments makes sense in several common scenarios:

• You serve customers in the Philippines who prefer bank apps over credit cards
• Your average order value is high enough that customers want bank-level confirmation
• You want to reach customers who actively use digital banking but do not rely on cards

The continued growth of digital payments supports this case. With more than half of retail payments now digital and further growth expected, bank-based payments are a core part of how customers pay bills, manage spending, and make online purchases.

How to start accepting BPI payments

The first step is deciding which payment rails you want to support. Online banking, bank transfer, QR, and direct debit all serve different customer needs and operational models.

Most global merchants choose to work with a payment service provider rather than integrating directly with a bank. This approach reduces complexity and speeds up launch, especially when supporting multiple Philippine payment methods.

When selecting your setup, consider:

• Which BPI flows are supported by your provider
• Whether a hosted checkout or API integration fits your timeline and UX goals
• Availability of payment links or invoices if you sell through chat, email, or social channels

After completing merchant onboarding, you can implement the chosen payment flow and test the full transaction journey before going live.

Conclusion

For global merchants expanding into the Philippine market, understanding how BPI payments work, when they perform best, and how to integrate them is a practical step toward building a more localised and effective payment strategy. 

Payment partners such as Antom can support these local payment methods alongside other regional options, allowing merchants to scale while keeping their checkout experience consistent and reliable.