Collaboration between Maya and PayPal

Rahul Shinghal, General Manager, PayPal Southeast Asia; Paolo Azzola, co-COO and Managing Director, Maya Philippines; Abhinav Kumar, Head of Strategic Partnerships, PayPal Southeast Asia Catherine Quiambao, freelancer and founder of the blog freelancing.ph; Chino Chaw, freelancer and Baguio-based DJ; Benjie Fernandez, co-COO of Maya Philippines and COO of Voyager Innovations.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, November 22, 2016 – More Filipino freelancers and online businesses are now reaping the opportunities of the digital economy with the recent forging of a landmark collaboration between Maya, the country’s leading digital financial services provider, and PayPal, a global leader in digital payments, to make it more convenient for users to withdraw their PayPal funds using Maya.

The two payment enablers launched a promo in September where users can enjoy 80 percent off PayPal’s withdrawal fee when they transfer their available PayPal balance to their Maya account until December 21, 2016. When the transfer is complete, users can withdraw their fund at any Bancnet ATM through their Maya card. They can also use their Maya app or card to shop at any online and physical store here and abroad that accept Visa.

Many freelancers such as graphic artists, developers, writers, digital marketers, and content creators; and online businesses in the Philippines receive work outside the country. As they are paid in various currencies, they rely on PayPal as a means to receive payment from overseas. Creating a PayPal account is ideal especially for markets where setting up a bank account may be difficult. Traditionally, funds from a PayPal account are withdrawn through a bank account but now, it is made easier and more convenient with Maya.

“I receive payments from my clients overseas using PayPal and I am glad with the many benefits that come with linking it to my Maya account. I don’t have to experience the hassle of withdrawing my funds through other financial touch points, which require me to travel farther and wait long. Whenever I need money, I just go to any Bancnet ATM and withdraw instantly using my Maya physical card,” said Catherine Quiambao, freelancer and founder of the blog, freelancing.ph.

Using Maya to withdraw PayPal funds is more efficient. With Maya, there is no need to travel to financial institutions, fall in long lines, answer forms, and secure a minimum initial deposit. All they need to do is download the Maya app from the Google Play or the App Store to have an instant virtual Visa card which they can immediately use for transactions including online purchases, bills payments and PayPal transfers. Securing a Maya card is also convenient as users just need to order online via Maya’s official website www.maya.ph or the online marketplace Takatack www.takatack.com, free of delivery charges nationwide.

“I rely on my PayPal funds for a lot of my basic needs. Since I can now link my PayPal to my Maya account, I can now directly pay my bills using the Pay Bills feature of my Maya app without taking time off, at the convenience of my home,” said Chino Chow, a Baguio-based DJ at K-Lite radio station and a freelance graphic artist.

[1]The Philippines is marked as the country with the largest number of freelancers in relation to country population followed by USA, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. [2]According to a World Bank Study released in June 2015, almost five percent of the country’s work force is registered as online outsourcing workers.

Freelancing presents various opportunities to both employers and workers. For businesses, the online outsourcing economy allows them to save resources such as space and operational costs. Freelancers on the other hand enjoy a more flexible workplace arrangement, pursue work-life balance, and focus on the work that matches their interest or lifestyle. However, they are also challenged with a number issues including those related to payment platforms.

“At Voyager Innovations, we are committed to improving the lives of our users including freelancers and entrepreneurs by providing hassle-free, efficient, and reliable financial innovations like Maya. Our digital workforce drives the economy and they deserve a convenient channel to access their hard-earned funds. Our collaboration with the global payment leader PayPal aims to break platform barriers hindering our independent earners from realizing their full potential whether as a working individual or an online business,” said Orlando Vea, President and CEO at Maya Philippines and Voyager Innovations.

“PayPal has always been a strong supporter of freelancers and MSMEs, not just in helping them gain access to the 200+ markets via our global platform, but also through building relevant partnerships and collaborations that will make it easier and safer for them to move and manage their money. Our collaboration with Maya is a clear example of this. Through our years of working with freelancers and micro businesses, we understand the need for them to gain immediate access to payments and funds. This collaboration with Maya will provide them with another option to retrieve their money, and build on the convenience already offered by PayPal,” said Rahul Shinghal, General Manager for Southeast Asia, PayPal.

The PayPal collaboration is among the growing initiatives being pushed by Maya Philippines to further grow the use of digital financial services in the Philippines. The Maya app remains the no. 1 Finance app in the Play Store – Philippines, posting over 260 percent year-to-date growth in users and with throughput volume for the third quarter more than double the previous quarter. Most recently, Maya was recognized as the world’s best online payments solution by the Emerging Payments Awards.