Driven by the rapid adoption of digital payments across Southeast Asia, the Philippines is undergoing a profound transformation from a cash-reliant society to a digital economy. Digital payment penetration in the country has reached 51%, and total transaction volume now exceeds USD 30 billion. As consumer behaviour evolves, traditional financial services are transforming as well. Founded in 1851, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is one of the country's oldest banking institutions and has long served as a cornerstone of the Philippine financial system.
Unlike emerging e-wallets, BPI represents the tradition and trust inherent in Philippine financial services. With more than 900 branches and 3,000 self-service terminals spanning the Philippines, Hong Kong (China), and Europe, BPI has established a financial services network covering both urban and rural areas. This extensive physical presence builds a unique foundation of trust among consumers in the Philippines, demonstrating irreplaceable value, particularly among the high-net-worth consumer base and in traditional consumer segments.
BPI's digital transformation has delivered strong results. Today, 91% of all transactions are completed through digital channels. Through in-depth partnerships with more than 600 leading brands, such as Lazada, Gmovies, LTS Malls, and Easytrip, BPI has established an integrated payment ecosystem that connects e-commerce, entertainment, shopping malls, and travel. Consumers can effortlessly manage transfers, top-ups, bill payments, and repayments through BPI online banking. This seamless all-in-one experience ensures the bank maintains high levels of user engagement in daily consumption scenarios.
Even in an era increasingly dominated by e-wallets, BPI maintains a significant foothold in the market, backed by its 6.6 million users and a 91% digital transaction share. Notably, as the Philippine e-commerce market is projected to reach USD 21 billion in 2025, BPI's customer base, characterised by strong purchasing power and established credit access, has become a prime segment for cross-border e-commerce and businesses with high average transaction value (ATV). These users are accustomed to completing transfers, top-ups, and online payments directly through the official BPI app.
BPI's cross-border footprint further strengthens its positioning. With branch networks in Hong Kong (China) and Europe, BPI provides a reliable bridge for moving funds between the Philippines and global markets. For cross-border merchants seeking to enter the Philippine market, this offers both a more streamlined settlement process and an efficient pathway to the country's core consumer segment.
The following table lists the product properties supported by BPI:
|
Payment type |
Online banking |
||
|
Funding source |
Bank account |
||
|
Acquirer |
AntomSG, AntomEU, AntomUS, AntomUK |
Merchant entity location |
SG, HK, EU, US, UK |
|
Payment flow |
Redirect |
Refund |
✔️ |
|
Buyer country/region |
Philippines |
Partial refund |
✔️ |
|
Processing currency |
PHP |
Chargeback/Dispute |
❌ |
|
Minimum payment amount |
Unlimited |
Refund period |
365 days |
|
Maximum payment amount |
50,000 PHP per day |
Time to return payment result |
Real-time |
|
Supported plugins |
❌ WooCommerce ✔️ Shopify |
Default timeout |
14 minutes |
Note: The following payment flows on different terminals are for reference only. For supported merchants' terminal types, consult Antom Technical Support.
The following screenshot shows the journey of paying with BPI:
Web
BPI users represent mature and stable bank account holders in the Philippines. This group typically boasts more complete credit records and a stronger awareness of financial planning. Their consumption behaviour prioritises planned, substantive medium- and long-term investments, focusing on high-ticket categories like home appliances, travel, and education. Complementing the advantages of e-wallets, BPI users demonstrate clear advantages in ATV and brand loyalty, providing merchants with a distinctive channel to reach high-quality consumers in the Philippines.
In fact, this is one of the strengths of BPI. Its bank-level system stability delivers a much higher online payment success rate compared to the industry average. More importantly, since BPI users are already familiar with the BPI app, they don't have to re-enter card details. All payments can be completed with just a quick authorisation via biometrics or a PIN. It offers the ease of an e-wallet, with the added benefit of bank-level security.
Integrating BPI via Antom brings complete transaction reconciliation protection. Every transaction is assigned a unique bank reference number for real-time validation through BPI's official channels. Antom also provides automated reconciliation tools, enabling quick matching of payment statuses. When there is a dispute, you can rely on authoritative bank-issued transaction records, significantly reducing resolution time.
BPI's branch networks in Hong Kong (China) and Europe present a unique advantage for cross-border businesses. For merchants based in markets like Singapore and Hong Kong (China), BPI supports multi-currency settlement, including USD, SGD, and EUR, helping minimise losses from currency conversions. Additionally, BPI users show a high acceptance of international brands, particularly those from other Asian markets. This positions BPI as an effective bridge between Philippine consumers and cross-border merchants.