If you’re still reaching for your credit card at checkout, you may already be behind the curve

If you’re still reaching for your credit card at checkout, you may already be behind the curve.

Fintech firm PayMongo says QR code payments have become the dominant way Filipinos pay on its platform based on its data, overtaking cards in a dramatic shift toward mobile-first transactions.

The numbers tell the story. In the first half of 2026, the company processed nearly 10 million completed transactions—almost double the volume recorded a year earlier—while its merchant base expanded by 93 percent.

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The biggest winner? QR Ph. What accounted for just 16 percent of PayMongo’s payment volume in 2025 now makes up 55 percent after posting more than 510-percent year-on-year growth.

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Cards, once the platform’s biggest payment method with a 38-percent share, have slipped to just 19 percent. More notably, card transaction volume itself fell 8 percent from a year ago. Direct online banking also lost ground, declining 26 percent.

E-wallets remain popular, accounting for 21 percent of payment volume. Combined with QR Ph, they now represent 76 percent of total payment volume and roughly nine out of every 10 transactions processed by the platform.

Looks like the humble QR code has become the new king of checkout. —Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral

SM remains king of PH brands

In a country where consumers have become harder to impress and loyalty is increasingly up for grabs, SM Supermalls appears to have held on to its crown.

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Global brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance named SM Supermalls the Philippines’ strongest brand for the second straight year, handing the mall giant a Brand Strength Index score of 95.3 out of 100 and retaining its coveted AAA+ rating.

“Our obsession in satisfying our customers drives us to keep innovating,” SM Supermalls president Steven Tan said.

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The distinction suggests that being a mall is no longer enough. Winning consumers today means creating experiences people actually want to leave home for.

SM’s playbook has increasingly revolved around lifestyle events and communities rather than just retail space—from marathons and music festivals to events for niche consumer groups. The strategy appears to be paying off as malls compete not just with each other, but also with online shopping and changing consumer habits.

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Add sustainability initiatives such as solar-powered malls and community-focused programs, and the country’s largest mall operator may have found the formula for staying relevant long after the checkout counter. —Emmanuel John B. Abris