E-wallet transactions processed by “sari-sari” stores surged by up to 75 percent between January and August 2025, according to transaction data from Filipino tech startup Packworks, which tracks digital activity across more than 300,000 stores nationwide.
The sharp growth reflects how micro-retailers are rapidly shifting toward digital tools to meet growing customer demand for cashless payments, fund transfers and bill settlement, Packworks said.
Based on internal records and a survey of over 2,000 store owners, Packworks reported that half of the respondents recorded a 75-percent increase in e-wallet transactions in the eight-month period. Another 20 percent said their transaction volumes doubled, 20 percent saw a 50 percent rise and 10 percent noted a 10-percent increase.
The report showed that 40 percent of sari-sari store owners use e-wallets for in-store payments, 30 percent for bill payments and another 30 percent for cash-in and cash-out transactions.
E-wallet services have also become a new income source. Thirteen percent of store owners said their e-wallet earnings now equal revenues from physical goods, while 66 percent said digital transactions contribute about 20 percent of income.
Another 21 percent said they earn around 10 percent of revenues from e-wallet use.
GCash remains the dominant platform among sari-sari store owners, used by 85 percent of respondents, followed by Maya at 15 percent.
To meet increasing transaction volumes, many stores now operate multiple e-wallet accounts with combined monthly limits reaching up to P3.5 million. About 30 percent of store owners plan to upgrade to business accounts to access higher limits of up to P1 million per month.
“The surge in e-wallet transactions shows that micro-entrepreneurs are driving financial inclusion from the ground up. They are transforming from traditional retailers into local financial access points that bring digital payments closer to everyday Filipinos,” said Packworks chief platform officer Hubert Yap, noting that sari-sari stores are now serving as “digital service hubs” for their communities.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas earlier reported that 57 percent of retail transactions in 2024 were cashless, underscoring the country’s accelerating shift toward digital payments.
