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The digital banking landscape in the Philippines is undergoing a significant transition as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)<\/a> and the Philippine Payments Management, Inc. (PPMI)<\/a> enforce new rules.<\/p>\n These regulations mandate that digital banks and e-wallets utilise standardised payment rails, such as InstaPay and PESONet, rather than proprietary \u201cshortcut\u201d integrations.<\/p>\n A primary result of these changes is the deactivation of linked bank account features.<\/p>\n For instance, GoTyme Bank<\/a> permanently disabled deposits via linked accounts on 1 February 2026, ending a feature that allowed direct, in-app cash-ins from local banks like BPI<\/a>.<\/p>\n Similarly, BPI announced that linked accounts in partner e-wallet apps, including GrabPay<\/a> and Maya<\/a>, would be deactivated by late January 2026. Customers must now manually send funds using regulated interoperable rails from their bank\u2019s mobile app.<\/p>\n The updated policy prioritises a stronger digital payment infrastructure for the Philippines over maintaining certain temporary convenience features.<\/p>\n The updated guidelines provide the central bank with greater oversight of fund clearing and settlement processes.<\/p>\n For end-users, this transition promises \u201cclearer protections, faster refunds, and a more level playing field\u201d for competing financial institutions.<\/p>\n Notably, the BSP now requires banks to refund failed InstaPay and PESONet transfers within hours instead of days, encouraging institutions to modernise their back-end systems.<\/p>\n The central bank is also prioritising transparency by regularly publishing fee matrices.<\/p>\n Consumers can use these public matrices to compare costs between institutions and identify those providing zero-peso or discounted transfers.<\/p>\n Overall, these measures aim to create an open and interoperable ecosystem governed by common standards.<\/p>\n