GCash is an official partner of ASEAN 2026: bringing cashless convenience, financial inclusion to the heart of the region's largest leadership gathering

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GCash, the Philippines' leading financial technology platform, is proud to support the 48th ASEAN Summit as an official partner, bringing cashless convenience and financial inclusion to the region's largest leadership gathering.

The summit in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, is one of the highest-level meetings of the regional bloc for the year, where heads of state from 11 member countries came together to discuss and decide on key regional issues.

"We are incredibly honored to be a huge part of the Philippines' ASEAN Chairship. Our partnership with ASEAN provides us a chance to showcase Filipino innovation on the global stage and demonstrate how the Philippines is leading the charge toward a more integrated, digital ASEAN region," GCash General Manager for GCash for Business Paul Albano said.

At the Partners Pavilion, GCash powered booths featuring Cebuano micro-entrepreneurs who are engaged in home décor, pastries and confections, handcrafted woven goods, chocolates, dairy and food items, and locally made souvenirs and artisan crafts.

"By supporting the MSME marketplace at the Pavilion and enabling cashless transactions for Cebuano micro-entrepreneurs, we are showing how digital financial inclusion creates tangible, real-world impact," Albano added.

Beyond product demonstrations, the booth aimed to boost MSME digitalization by onboarding new merchants to GCash for Business and showcasing how digital tools can help local enterprises grow and scale in an increasingly cashless economy.

"We are powering the MSME marketplace by bringing cashless payments to Cebuano micro-entrepreneurs. When a local vendor can accept a digital payment as easily as a major retailer, that is digital financial inclusion in practice," Albano added.

GCash joined key side events at the summit to participate in discussions on digital transformation and advance wider access to financial services across the region.

The summit, themed "Navigating Our Future, Together," was held this month in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines, as part of the country's ASEAN chairmanship.

The event gathered leaders from all 11 ASEAN member states, along with thousands of delegates, officials, and international media.

Discussions centered on energy security, food security, regional stability, and protection of ASEAN citizens, alongside broader themes of economic integration, sustainability, and digital cooperation.

For more information on ASEAN, visit https://asean2026.gov.ph^[1].

About Mynt

Mynt is the first and only $5 billion unicorn in the Philippines. It's a leader in mobile financial services focused on accelerating financial inclusion through mobile money, financial services, and technology. Mynt operates a portfolio of companies including G-Xchange, Inc., the mobile wallet operator of GCash — the #1 Finance Super App in the Philippines, and Fuse Financing, Inc., a tech-based lending company that gives Filipinos access to microloans and business loans.

Mynt, through its fintech operations, is a staunch supporter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly UN SDGs 5,8,10, and 13, which focus on safety & security, financial inclusion, diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, respectively.

References

1. ^{^} https://asean2026.gov.ph (asean2026.gov.ph)