Blog and Updates
Beyond Borders: The Payments Infrastructure Connecting Filipinos in Southeast Asia
Keeping Filipinos connected to home through seamless payments
By: Fritzie Pan
Global Growth
Opportunities
Online Payments
The Philippines remains one of the world’s top remittance recipients, with personal remittances reaching an all‑time high of USD 38.34 billion in 2024, contributing significantly to the national economy.
Despite this scale, many Filipinos abroad still face slow, costly, and fragmented payment channels that limit financial access and complicate sending money home. To address these challenges, global payments provider AltPayNet is forging strategic partnerships to make cross‑border payments faster, more affordable, and more accessible. Its latest collaboration is with Malaysia’s merchant-first payment gateway, Paydibs Sdn Bhd (Paydibs), strengthening payment infrastructure between Malaysia and the Philippines and supporting overseas communities and regional businesses.
At the heart of AltPayNet’s approach is a simple principle: financial access for every Filipino should extend across borders, empowering the diaspora and regional businesses to meet obligations, support families, and participate fully in the local and regional economy.
For overseas Filipinos, sending money back home is essential, but traditional channels are often slow, unreliable, and costly. The AltPayNet–Paydibs partnership addresses this by integrating AltPayNet’s global network with Paydibs’ licensed Malaysian infrastructure, enabling secure, affordable, and more efficient payments. The initial rollout allows Filipinos in Malaysia to pay contributions directly to the Philippines’ Social Security System, ensuring compliance and access to essential benefits.
“Filipinos abroad deserve solutions that make managing obligations simple and dependable,” said Don Vacal, CEO of AltPayNet. “Our partnership with Paydibs provides a practical way for Overseas Filipinos to handle payments to institutions like the SSS, Pag-IBIG, and other local billers, while providing a more affordable and real-time remittance platform.”
“This partnership reflects Paydibs’ commitment to expanding cross border financial accessibility by supporting inclusive payment solutions,” Mr. Tee Kean Kang, Chief Executive Officer of Paydibs added. “By enabling services such as SSS contributions through our platform, we are helping international communities stay connected and financially secure,” he said.
The partnership plays a strategic role in advancing cross-border payment modernization in the region. By linking AltPayNet’s global payment capabilities with Paydibs’ regulated Malaysian infrastructure, the collaboration delivers compliant, efficient, and interoperable payment pathways that support the Filipino diaspora, migrant workers, SMEs, and regional merchants.
This aligns with initiatives such as the ASEAN Payment Connectivity Framework, which links domestic systems to enable low-cost, real-time cross-border transfers. Central banks and global institutions recognize cross-border payment modernization as essential for financial inclusion, cost reduction, and regional economic integration.
For AltPayNet, the partnership strengthens its regional presence, deepens local capabilities, and extends services, laying the foundation for a connected, resilient, and inclusive payments ecosystem.
“Our goal is to build infrastructure that helps Overseas Filipinos keep more of what they earn, and be more in charge of their finances,” Mr. Vacal added.
As Southeast Asia moves toward a more integrated payments landscape, AltPayNet and Paydibs view this collaboration as a platform for continued innovation. Beginning with social security contributions and expanding into merchant and consumer payments, the partnership aims to strengthen financial resilience for overseas communities while enabling businesses to benefit from a more connected regional ecosystem.
altpaynet-paydibs-cross-border-payments