Rakuten Viber, the global messaging app, is set to launch its own e-wallet service for Filipinos in the second half of 2025, expanding its ecosystem beyond messaging and its recent move into the dating scene.
Viber CEO Ofir Eyal told reporters in a media briefing on Tuesday that the expansion is part of their goal in strengthening its position as a super app in the Philippines.
“If Viber Pay was operational today, it would be one the largest fintech services in the Philippines,” Eyal said.
Viber’s decision to launch its digital wallet service in the Philippines was driven by the country’s strong international remittance inflows.
“We see that the international remittance from the Philippines is something like three times higher than the international average,” the Viber CEO said.
“That is because the Filipinos have 10 percent of people working abroad.”
Once launched in the country, Filipinos can now use Viber to do peer-to-peer transactions, user-to-user transactions, and user-to-business transactions.
“So, again, these people are already communicating with their families back to the Philippines/ This will allow them to transfer the funds back into the Philippines from working abroad,” He said.
While the initial rollout will focus on digital transactions, Eyal said Viber plans to introduce credit cards and international remittance services in the future.
Currently, Viber is still seeking government approval and licences to operate from its partners in the Philippines.
“We already have a long list of over a million users in the Philippines that have listed for the wallet, and we’re hoping to complete receiving all the approvals and launch the wallet actually in H2,” Mr. Eyal said.
Opening the waitlist was Viber’s strategy in gauging the interest of Filipinos in the service. This is a similar strategy to its recently launched service, Viber Dating, which rolled out days after the country celebrated Valentines’ Day.
Only verified users of Viber are allowed to open its dating profile within the messaging app.
Viber Pay soon to come in the Philippines, allowing international remittances
