Send money to Philippines
Quick answer: Where you send from decides the cheapest option to Philippines. Across the 12 sending routes we price, the top-ranked estimates right now are InstaReM from United States (62,418 PHP for $1,000); Wise from United Kingdom (41,312 PHP for £500); Paysend from Finland (35,087 PHP for €500); InstaReM from Australia (43,458 PHP for A$1,000).
Latest pricing observation: . Oldest observation used: . Quotes are kept per USD→PHP pair, not per country, so check is served before you commit. Methodology.
Cheapest way to send money to Philippines, by sending country
The top-ranked estimate on each route we price into Philippines, from our own collected quotes. Choose your country for the full provider ranking.
USD → PHP · 19 estimates
InstaReM: $1,000 becomes 62,417.83 PHP · 0.15% over mid-market · 2,806 PHP ahead of the lowest
GBP → PHP · 26 estimates
Wise: £500 becomes 41,312.41 PHP · 0.00% over mid-market · 8,565 PHP ahead of the lowest
EUR → PHP · 23 estimates
Paysend: €500 becomes 35,087.16 PHP · 0.25% over mid-market · 7,423 PHP ahead of the lowest
AUD → PHP · 22 estimates
InstaReM: A$1,000 becomes 43,458.48 PHP · 0.05% over mid-market · 2,361 PHP ahead of the lowest
CAD → PHP · 19 estimates
InstaReM: C$1,000 becomes 43,799.81 PHP · 0.15% over mid-market · 2,930 PHP ahead of the lowest
SGD → PHP · 15 estimates
InstaReM: S$1,000 becomes 48,837.16 PHP · 0.05% over mid-market · 3,739 PHP ahead of the lowest
AED → PHP · 7 estimates
TapTap Send: د.إ3,000 becomes 51,090.14 PHP · 0.00% over mid-market · 3,620 PHP ahead of the lowest
BHD → PHP · 3 estimates
Wise: BD300 becomes 49,766.54 PHP · 0.22% over mid-market · 2,708 PHP ahead of the lowest
OMR → PHP · 2 estimates
Wise: ﷼300 becomes 48,733.15 PHP · 0.23% over mid-market · 2,584 PHP ahead of the lowest
SAR → PHP · 1 estimate
Wise: ﷼2,000 becomes 33,316.18 PHP · 0.07% over mid-market
DKK → PHP · 1 estimate
TapTap Send: kr5,000 becomes 46,648.41 PHP · 0.85% over mid-market
NOK → PHP · 1 estimate
TapTap Send: kr5,000 becomes 32,201.14 PHP · 0.83% over mid-market
Sending to the Philippines is defined by how money is received rather than by where it is sent from. The country has one of the highest rates of wallet adoption for remittances anywhere, alongside a dense cash-collection network built over decades of overseas work, and both are used heavily. A provider that prices well into a bank account may be irrelevant if your recipient uses GCash and has no bank, and the reverse is also true.
- GCash is the Philippines' leading e-wallet with 90M+ users. Providers including Remitly, WorldRemit, and Western Union support direct GCash delivery — funds arrive within minutes.
- PayMaya (Maya Bank) is the second major wallet and is accepted by several international providers. It also offers a Visa debit card for immediate spending.
- Pera Hub, Palawan Express, and MLhuillier are major cash pickup networks with thousands of locations, important for recipients outside metro areas.
- BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) regulates all remittances and has no cap on inbound personal transfers. All BSP-supervised providers operate officially.
- Popular receiving banks: BDO Unibank, BPI (Bank of the Philippine Islands), Metrobank, LandBank, and Security Bank — all support real-time PESONet and InstaPay credits.
InstaPay, PESONet and the wallets
The Philippines has two domestic clearing rails and they behave differently. InstaPay is real-time, runs 24/7, and is capped per transaction — so a larger transfer may be split or routed elsewhere. PESONet is a batch rail: submit before the day's cut-off and it credits the same banking day, submit after and it lands the next one, with weekends and holidays not counting. Wallet payouts to GCash and Maya generally ride InstaPay and are the usual way money is received by recipients without a bank account. Cash pickup through the pawnshop and remittance networks remains widely used outside the cities. These are documented rail properties from BSP and the clearing operators rather than provider claims; the practical consequence is that "same day" through PESONet and "instant" through InstaPay are different promises, and a wallet payout is usually the faster of the two.
What your recipient needs to collect the money
A wallet payout needs the registered mobile number and the name exactly as registered on the GCash or Maya account. A bank deposit needs the account number and matching account-holder name. Cash collection needs photo identification matching the transfer exactly, and a specific branch or agent that is actually open — coverage and hours vary widely outside the cities, and a marginally better rate at an inconvenient counter is worth nothing to the person collecting. Confirm the payout method before comparing prices, because the cheapest quote on this page may be for a method your recipient cannot use.
Guides, fees & how it works
Bank, GCash or Maya — match the receiving method before comparing
A meaningful share of Philippine remittances move through GCash or Maya rather than a bank account. Confirm which one your recipient actually uses before comparing quotes — not every provider offers wallet delivery, and the ones that do vary on speed and fees for that specific rail.
- GCash or Maya: confirm the linked mobile number and that the wallet can receive the amount — some wallets cap how much can land in a single transaction.
- Bank deposit: get the account number and the receiving bank's name directly from the recipient.
- Cash pickup: check the specific location is practical for your recipient and what identification they'll need.
- A time-sensitive transfer: use the full funding-to-arrival estimate, not just the local payout speed once funds land.
Philippine remittances topped $40 billion in 2024 — the world's 3rd-largest inflow
The Philippines received $40.3 billion in personal remittances in 2024 (World Bank), behind only India and Mexico. That volume is why so many providers built dedicated GCash and Maya delivery rather than treating this as just another bank-deposit corridor — worth checking which one actually fits your recipient before you compare prices.
For recurring transfers, it is worth checking live quotes each time rather than relying on one provider by habit.
What you need to send money to Philippines
Full name
Recipient's full legal name matching their bank account or valid ID
Bank account number
Philippine bank account number (10–12 digits for most banks)
Bank name
Name of the receiving bank (e.g. BDO, BPI, Metrobank, UnionBank)
GCash number
Optional11-digit mobile number linked to GCash wallet (for GCash transfers)
Example: 09171234567
Maya number
OptionalMobile number linked to Maya (formerly PayMaya) wallet
Provider sources for these receiving options: Wise PHP requirements · Remitly US-to-Philippines options
Note: The Philippines doesn't use IBAN. You'll need the recipient's bank account number (typically 10–12 digits) and the receiving bank's name — for GCash or Maya transfers, the linked mobile number instead.
How much does it cost to send money to Philippines?
The top-ranked estimate on each sending route into Philippines sits between 0.00% and 0.85% above the mid-market rate: tightest from United Kingdom (Wise), widest from Denmark (TapTap Send).
How can my recipient receive money in Philippines?
Recipients in Philippines have 2 ways to receive this transfer: bank deposit or mobile wallet; cash pickup.
Bank deposit or mobile wallet
Wise’s PHP guide distinguishes bank and wallet requirements.
Cash pickup
Remitly lists cash pickup for US senders. Check the receiving location and availability from your sending country.
What are the transfer limits and regulations for Philippines?
Regulatory body
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
Inbound transfer limits
No cap on the foreign-currency amount inwardly remitted to the Philippines. Large cash transactions face separate BSP/AMLC reporting requirements aimed at money laundering — that's a check on the receiving institution, not a limit on your transfer.
Important things to know
- The AMLC reporting requirement is the bank or remittance agent's obligation, not yours — it doesn't block or delay a normal transfer.
How long does it take to send money to Philippines?
Top-ranked providers advertise 1-3 business days from United States (InstaReM), instant from United Kingdom (Wise), 2 days from Finland (Paysend), 1-3 business days from Australia (InstaReM).
Provider-stated speeds for Philippines, not our measurement.
Popular banks in Philippines
6 banks commonly receive international transfers in Philippines, including BDO Unibank and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI). SWIFT/BIC codes are shown where we could verify them; confirm the rest with the receiving bank.
BDO Unibank
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Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
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Metrobank
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UnionBank
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Landbank of the Philippines
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Philippine National Bank (PNB)
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Frequently asked questions
Common questions about sending money to Philippines
What is the cheapest way to send money to the Philippines?
On USD to PHP, the measured leader is InstaReM, which led on 45 of the last 91 days we could compare. Remitly is competitive for smaller amounts and is popular for GCash delivery. For Gulf countries, companies like LuLu Exchange and UAE Exchange often have competitive PHP rates. Always compare total PHP received rather than looking at fees alone — rate markup is the primary cost.
How do I send money directly to GCash?
Remitly, WorldRemit, Western Union, Ria, and several others support direct GCash delivery. You need the recipient's GCash registered Philippine mobile number (+63XXXXXXXXXX format). Choose 'GCash' as the delivery method when prompted. Transfers typically arrive within minutes. Recipients receive an SMS notification and can immediately use the funds for purchases, bills payment, or ATM withdrawal.
What bank details do I need to send money to a Philippine bank?
You need the recipient's account name, account number, and the bank name. For international SWIFT transfers, you also need the bank's SWIFT code (BDO: BNORPHMM, BPI: BOPIPHM1, Metrobank: MBTCPHMM). The Philippines does not use IBAN. For domestic-style transfers, InstaPay and PESONet use account number + bank code without SWIFT.
How long does a money transfer to the Philippines take?
GCash, PayMaya, and cash pickup deliveries typically arrive within minutes. Bank deposits via PESONet settle within a few hours. SWIFT bank-to-bank transfers arrive in 1–2 business days. Express options from most providers allow same-day or next-day delivery for a small premium.
Is there a remittance tax in the Philippines?
No — the Philippines does not levy any tax on inbound personal remittances. OFW remittances are a key economic policy priority and the government has actively removed barriers to official channel flows. GCash cash-outs and ATM withdrawals may incur small service fees (typically ₱15–₱20 per transaction).
What is the maximum amount I can send to the Philippines?
The BSP imposes no cap on inbound personal remittances. Individual providers have their own transaction limits — Wise allows up to $1M per transfer, Remitly up to $30,000 per day with full KYC. For amounts over $10,000, your sending country may require anti-money laundering reporting. Documentary evidence of purpose may be required for large business transfers.
Which providers are best for sending from the US to the Philippines?
Wise (best exchange rate for bank delivery), Remitly (best for GCash, Express delivery), and WorldRemit (good for cash pickup) are the top three for USD-to-PHP. Ria and Western Union are also competitive for cash pickup through Palawan Express and Pera Hub. For Gulf-to-Philippines transfers, LuLu Exchange and Al Ahalia offer competitive rates.
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