Small and medium-sized businesses in the Philippines are increasingly turning to digital payments as they expand across physical stores, pop-ups, bazaars, and online channels, with QR Ph transactions showing rapid growth in 2025.
Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that QR Ph person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions surged 246.9% in volume to 183.3 million transactions in 2025, up from 52.8 million in 2024. Transaction value also increased 211.3% to ₱926.1 billion from ₱297.5 billion a year earlier.
The growth highlights the increasing role of digital payment infrastructure in helping SMEs keep pace with changing consumer preferences while maintaining efficient operations.
Digital payments support business expansion
Smash burger restaurant Bun Run has incorporated cashless payments as it expands its physical footprint. After opening its second branch in Makati in October 2025, the restaurant sought to maintain a consistent customer experience while adapting to a new market.
Bun Run uses GCash SoundPay Plus, which supports QR Ph and card payments with real-time voice confirmation. According to Culinary Operations Director Chef Christine Balucas-Tabu, more than 80% of the restaurant’s transactions are cashless, with approximately 30% made through QR Ph and 50% through debit and credit cards.
By consolidating multiple payment methods into one device, the restaurant can process transactions more efficiently, particularly during peak periods.
Mobile businesses need flexible payment tools
For matcha retailer Kyoto House, growth has taken a more mobile route. The business reaches customers through online channels, bazaars, and pop-ups, with 40% of its sales coming from these temporary locations.
The business typically handles 300 to 450 transactions per day during weekend bazaars, with all payments made cashlessly. GCash SoundPay Plus gives the team a portable payment solution that can support transactions as the business moves between locations.
The experiences of Bun Run and Kyoto House underscore how payment technology is becoming an operational tool for SMEs—not just a way to collect money. As businesses adopt more flexible growth models, reliable digital payment infrastructure can help reduce transaction friction and allow entrepreneurs to focus more on customers and expansion.
Businesses can create a Starter Plan account through the GCash for Business Portal using a verified GCash account, with a P5 million wallet limit, and order a GCash SoundPay Plus device.
