Visa finds Asia Pacific digital remittances rise unevenly

Visa has published Asia Pacific findings from its Money Travels 2026 Digital Remittances Adoption Report, highlighting wider use of digital remittances across six regional markets.

The research covered more than 45,000 remittance senders and receivers across 20 markets. The Asia Pacific section focused on Australia, Mainland China, India, Japan, the Philippines and Singapore. Cross-border money transfers remain closely tied to household bills, emergencies and financial support for family members.

Remittance activity differed sharply by market. The Philippines recorded the highest share of consumers sending money abroad, at 45%, followed by Australia at 35%. Japan stood at 8%.

Receiving patterns showed a similar gap. The Philippines again led at 45%, while Japan was lowest at 5%.

Use cases also varied. Paying household bills was a key reason for receiving remittances in the Philippines, cited by 47%, and in India, cited by 34%.

Financial emergencies were another major factor, named by 42% of respondents in the Philippines and 33% in India. Supporting relatives overseas could also strain senders' own finances. In India, 23% said they delayed bill payments and 20% cut back on essentials. In Mainland China, the figures were 21% and 17%, respectively.

Digital shift

Across the region, mobile banking apps were the most popular method for sending money internationally, with usage ranging from 33% to 60% depending on the market.

Mobile wallets were especially prominent in India, where 36% used them for cross-border transfers, followed by the Philippines at 28% and Mainland China at 27%. Japan stood apart from the wider regional pattern, with nearly one-third of consumers still preferring to make international transfers through physical bank branches.

The findings suggest the region's digital transition remains uneven, even as customers move towards app-based financial services. They also indicate that transfer speed is no longer the only factor shaping user choice.

Fraud concerns featured heavily in the study. Exposure to remittance scams was highest in India (40%) and the Philippines (29%), compared with 19% in Mainland China and 11% in Japan.

Concern about AI-related fraud was strongest in the Philippines and India. In the Philippines, 62% of respondents said they were worried that deepfakes could be used to impersonate family members or support financial scams, while 53% said the same in India.

That concern appears to be changing what consumers value in a transaction. In Japan, 68% said they would accept a 24-hour transfer delay in return for stronger AI-based fraud protection. The figure was 57% in both Singapore and Australia.

Trust and awareness

The report also examined awareness of and potential demand for stablecoins. This was the first time the study included a separate section on consumer understanding, perceptions and adoption intent for the digital assets.

Results pointed to a broad awareness gap. Roughly half of consumers across Asia Pacific believed stablecoins were as risky as, or riskier than, cryptocurrencies, despite being designed to maintain a stable value.

The survey found that interest in using stablecoins rose when respondents understood that they were intended to hold their value and might offer other benefits. Even so, the results suggest that trust and education remain central barriers to wider take-up.

Chavi Jafa, Senior Vice President, Head of Commercial and Money Movement Solutions, Asia Pacific, Visa, linked the findings to broader changes in customer expectations.

"Cross-border money movement is fundamental to how people, businesses and economies connect across Asia Pacific," said Chavi Jafa, Senior Vice President, Head of Commercial and Money Movement Solutions, Asia Pacific, Visa. "Financial institutions have an opportunity to make cross-border payments a more integrated and valuable part of the overall customer experience as consumer expectations continue to evolve, with customers increasingly looking for solutions that combine speed, security, convenience and flexibility. Building trust through education, transparency and security will be critical to the next phase of adoption."

The study points to a market where digital adoption is expanding, but unevenly, and where consumer caution is rising alongside usage. For banks, money transfer firms and fintech groups, that may mean balancing demand for convenience with stronger fraud controls and clearer communication about new payment tools.

Rhidoi Krishnakumar, Vice President, Head of Visa Direct, Asia Pacific, Visa, said the regional picture remained fragmented.

"The findings underscore how diverse payment behaviours, preferences and levels of digital adoption continue to accelerate across Asia Pacific," said Rhidoi Krishnakumar, Vice President, Head of Visa Direct, Asia Pacific, Visa. "For banks, remitters and fintechs, the opportunity lies in delivering seamless cross-border experiences while managing growing complexity on behalf of clients. Through Visa Direct, we work with partners across the region to help simplify this complexity and enable money movement experiences that are more seamless, scalable and locally relevant to how consumers and businesses move money today."