Hey, gamers! Have you heard about the work Heidi Garayblas is doing with Coda Payments in the Philippines? If not, let us fill you in.
First off, the number of internet users in the Philippines is on the rise, with a 2.1 percent increase from 2023 to 2024, bringing the total to a whopping 86.98 million, according to the latest Global Digital Report.
Despite this growth, a huge 68 percent of Filipinos still don’t have bank accounts, even though they have internet access and mobile phones. Crazy, right? This is where Heidi Garayblas and Coda Payments come in.
Heidi Garayblas, the country director of Coda Payments, sees a golden opportunity here to boost financial inclusion and growth in the Philippines.
Coda is the world’s largest provider of cross-border content monetization solutions, and they’re using their expertise to empower the millions-strong gaming community in the Philippines with easy access to digital commerce and services.
“We are positioning Coda as a key player in financial inclusion, contributing to the broader development of the Philippines while elevating its status in the global digital economy,” Garayblas said.
What’s really cool is how Coda tailors its offerings based on local insights and needs. They work closely with top local payment channels to make sure they’re hitting the mark. For example, a Coda-commissioned research found that Filipino gamers aged 18-24 usually go for card-based payments, while those aged 25-34 prefer top-up game credits at convenience stores or bill payment centers.
To reach even more Filipino gamers, Heidi mentioned that Coda plans to roll out its services offline in physical stores, partnering with over 200,000 retail locations across the country.
“While digital transactions have been growing, there is still an untapped market for cash transactions,” she said. “Coda is committed to serving all types of gamers and providing our offerings in physical establishments is a step in the right direction toward our mission.”
Heidi also pointed out that the game content and voucher reseller market in the Philippines isn’t as “professionalized or established” as in other Asian countries. This fragmentation, along with recent issues like cyberattacks, drives consumers to trusted platforms like Codapay and Codashop.
During the pandemic, Coda expanded to the Philippines and quickly earned the trust of Filipino gamers with their efficient, instantaneous, and hassle-free services. Although they faced challenges due to health restrictions, they managed to capitalize on the gaming boom in the country.
Since then, Coda has grown alongside the Filipino gaming community, with exciting new partnerships in the works that promise to “enrich the experience” and expand the range of services for gamers and business partners.
“In our continuing dedication to the Philippine market, we have expanded our team to ensure we enhance existing relationships with our partners and improve our business practices with them through tech, commercial, and product coordination and services,” said Garayblas. “These resonate with our advocacy and mission to drive financial inclusion and growth in the country.”
So, if you’re a gamer in the Philippines or just interested in how tech can drive financial inclusion, keep an eye on Coda Payments and Heidi Garayblas. They’re definitely worth watching.
