Quick Answer: Philippine businesses can accept Maya payments through a licensed payment gateway such as HitPay, which supports Maya alongside GCash, QR Ph, InstaPay, PESONet, and cards — all under one account. HitPay charges no monthly fees, settles domestic transactions by the next business day in PHP, and can be approved within 1–3 business days. Merchants in Makati, BGC, Cebu, and Davao use it for both online and in-person Maya acceptance.

Maya — formerly PayMaya — is one of the Philippines’ two dominant digital wallets, alongside GCash. With the World Bank financial inclusion data showing millions of Filipinos still underserved by traditional banking, digital wallets have become the primary payment layer for a large share of the population. For SMEs, refusing Maya at checkout means losing customers who have already loaded their wallet and expect to pay with it.

The challenge is not awareness — it is setup. Businesses need a licensed gateway or acquirer that connects their checkout to Maya’s network, handles the settlement, and keeps reconciliation manageable.

What Is Maya and How Does It Work for Merchants?

Maya is a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)-regulated digital bank and e-wallet that allows users to pay via QR code, app-to-app transfer, or linked card. For merchants, Maya acceptance typically happens in one of three ways:

• QR Ph — Maya users scan a standardised QR Ph code at the point of sale or on a payment page

• Online checkout — the customer selects Maya at checkout on a website or payment link and authenticates in the Maya app

• In-person via soundbox or terminal — a QR code displayed on a physical device that audibly confirms payment

Because Maya operates on the QR Ph interoperable standard set by the BSP, a single QR Ph code at the counter can accept payments from Maya, GCash, and other participating apps — without needing a separate QR for each wallet.

Does a Business Need to Apply Directly to Maya?

Not necessarily. Businesses can apply directly to Maya Business for a merchant account, but the process involves paperwork, integration work, and separate settlement accounts. Most Philippine SMEs instead connect to Maya through a payment gateway that already holds the integration — this is faster and requires no direct contract with Maya.

When accepting payments through a licensed gateway, the gateway handles the Maya connection, settlement, and dispute management. The merchant receives a single payout in PHP regardless of which payment method the customer used.

How to Accept Maya Through a Payment Gateway

The process for going live with Maya acceptance through a gateway typically follows these steps:

1. Register with a BSP-licensed payment gateway that supports Maya

2. Submit business documents for KYC verification (government ID, business registration, proof of address)

3. Wait for approval — approval timelines vary by provider; HitPay approves accounts within 1–3 business days

4. Enable Maya in your payment method settings on the gateway dashboard

5. Generate a payment link, embed a checkout widget, or display a QR Ph code for in-person use

6. Test a live transaction before going public

7. Go live and monitor settlements from the dashboard

For in-person merchants in Cebu or Davao, displaying a printed QR Ph code or using a soundbox device is enough to start accepting Maya immediately after approval.

HitPay supports Maya as a payment method in the Philippines. Merchants accepting domestic payments receive funds by the next business day in PHP. For in-person QR acceptance, the HitPay Scan to Pay guide for Philippine merchants covers how to display and manage QR Ph codes in a physical store setting.

What Other Payment Methods Should Accompany Maya?

Accepting Maya in isolation limits a business’s reach. The most complete Philippine checkout covers:

A Makati café or BGC retail shop that only accepts Maya will miss GCash users, cardholders, and customers from partner apps. A gateway that consolidates all of these under one merchant account reduces the administrative overhead significantly.

For merchants exploring the full landscape of cashless options, the cashless payment methods guide for Philippine businesses provides a structured overview of each method and where it performs best.

Compliance with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulations applies to all payment service providers operating in the Philippines. Businesses should confirm their chosen gateway holds the appropriate BSP licence before signing up.

How Do Maya Payments Settle?

Payout speed matters for cash flow. When accepting Maya through HitPay, domestic transactions settle the next business day in PHP. Cross-border payments — for example, a Singapore customer paying via PayNow on a Philippine merchant’s checkout — settle at T+2.

Merchants should also account for transaction fees, which vary by payment method and gateway. HitPay charges no monthly fees and no setup fees; pricing is per transaction. See hitpayapp.com/pricing for current Maya and wallet rates.

For SMEs managing invoices, recurring billing, or subscription payments that need to include Maya as a payment option, the recurring billing guide for Philippine businesses explains how to attach wallet payment methods to automated billing plans.

Frequently Asked Questions