Payments Blogs

GCash Link & Pay, the next evolution in recurring digital wallet payments

December 15, 2024 ⎯ 10 mins read

Fast Facts:

Digital wallets are applications stored on smartphones that store payment information or actual funds, allowing users to make quick and secure transactions
A merchant-initiated transaction is a transaction that is initiated by a merchant, where a customer has given pre-approval (like with a subscription payment plan)
Meanwhile, a customer-initiated transaction is initiated by a customer. Each transaction needs to be authorised by the customer for the transaction to take place (like with an e-commerce transaction)

What are digital wallets?

Digital wallets (sometimes also known as e-wallets) are applications stored on smart devices (like smartphones or laptops) that store payment information or actual funds. Consumers can use these digital wallets to make transactions in a similar way that they would pay with a credit or debit card.

How popular is GCash?

In a word: very.

GCash claims to have around 95 million active users and 6 million active merchants who accept GCash payments.
More than 80% of the residents of the Philippines (both expatriates and citizens) currently use a GCash account.
There are more GCash account holders than bank account holders in the Philippines.

What is GCash Link and Pay?

GCash Link and Pay is a merchant-initiated recurring payment solution by GCash Link and Pay. It allows merchants to initiate recurring payments for their customers, making it an ideal solution for subscription-based businesses like gyms.

Once a customer links their GCash Link and Pay wallet and provides approval, payments are automatically deducted for future billing cycles, removing the need to scan a QR code or re-authorise each time.

What are merchant-initiated transactions and how do they differ from customer-initiated transactions?

A customer-initiated transaction is a payment that begins at the customer’s request. An example of a customer-initiated transaction could be purchasing workout gear from an e-commerce platform like Amazon, Temu or eBay. Meanwhile, merchant-initiated transactions are initiated by the merchants themselves, with authorisation granted from the customer to cover all subsequent transactions.

An example of a merchant-initiated transaction (MIT) is the relationship between a gym and its members. When a member signs up, they provide their credit or debit card details once and authorise the gym to charge them repeatedly. The gym then automatically deducts membership fees on a fixed schedule (e.g., monthly, weekly, etc), without requiring the member to take any action each time.

GCash now supports recurring payments through GCash Link and Pay, and Ezypay is the first payment provider to bring this capability to the health and fitness industry in the Philippines.

What does GCash Link and Pay mean for gyms that use Ezypay through one of its integrated software partners?

By enabling GCash Link and Pay, gyms and health clubs can offer a payment method their customers already know and trust. As outlined above, once a customer links their GCash wallet, future payments happen automatically, creating a more consistent and reliable payment experience. This not only improves convenience for customers but also helps reduce missed payments, manual follow-ups and operational overhead for your business.

Ready to start offering GCash Link and Pay for your gym or health club? Get started by getting in touch with our team.