Visa and USSC Money Services Inc. (UMSI) are taking digital payments deeper into the Philippine MSME market with a smartphone-based solution that lets small businesses accept card payments without buying a traditional point-of-sale terminal.
The companies launched U Accept, powered by Visa Accept and built into UMSI’s uGrow app, turning eligible smartphones into payment acceptance devices. Merchants can take contactless card payments and pay-by-link transactions while generating digital receipts and tracking sales, transactions, and inventory.
The push targets a huge market. Micro, small, and medium enterprises account for more than 99 percent of Philippine businesses and 67 percent of total employment, making affordable digital tools key to widening participation in the formal economy.
U Accept tackles one of the simplest barriers to going cashless, the cost and complexity of payment hardware. For smaller merchants, a smartphone they already own can now do double duty at the checkout.
Visa research cited by the companies found that 83 percent of Filipino SME owners saw higher turnover after accepting card payments. Among businesses that do not accept cards, 67 percent said they would consider doing so with the right support.
Visa Philippines Country Manager Jeffrey Navarro said the partnership brings payment innovation closer to Filipino entrepreneurs while allowing them to accept secure payments from local consumers and tourists.
UMSI President and CEO Jose Xavier Gonzales said the integration turns uGrow into a digital accelerator, combining payments with tools that help entrepreneurs manage everyday operations.
The rollout also supports the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ drive to expand digital payments and financial inclusion, particularly among underserved businesses.
For MSMEs, the pitch is straightforward. Going digital no longer necessarily means buying more equipment. It can start with the smartphone already in a business owner’s hand.
