PNB teams up with Japan-based Digital Wallet Corp. to expand remittance services for global Filipinos

From left to right: PNB International Banking and Remittance Group Head – First Senior Vice President Muffet Flores; PNB Chairman Edgar Cua; PNB President and CEO Edwin Bautista; DWC Founder and CEO Eiji Miyakawa; DWC Director and EVP Alex Rapi Milan; DWC General Manager Macrine Comendador

Philippine National Bank (PSE: PNB) has partnered with Japan’s Digital Wallet Corporation (DWC), the team behind Smiles, Japan’s leading mobile remittance platform last July 3, 2025 to enhance the bank’s international remittance capabilities and provide improved service to Filipinos across the globe.

“At PNB, we are proud to align with an organization whose values and vision resonate so strongly with our own. By joining forces with Digital Wallet Corp., we are expanding our global remittance network and strengthening our ability to serve the Overseas Filipino Workers,” said PNB President and CEO Edwin Bautista. “With this collaboration, our kababayans in Japan will have greater access to faster, more affordable, and more convenient ways to send money home—directly from their mobile phones and backed by the trust and security of PNB.”

The collaboration brings together PNB’s established global banking network with DWC’s innovative digital remittance technology – reinforcing both organizations’ commitment to improving access to fast, secure, and user-friendly financial services.

Mr. Eiji Miyakawa, Founder and CEO of Digital Wallet Corporation, also expressed optimism about the collaboration: “Philippine National Bank is an outstanding institution that has, for many years, been a cornerstone of the Philippine economy and a steadfast supporter of its people. By combining Digital Wallet’s advanced technology and our user-friendly service design and operations, we are poised to deliver a financial infrastructure that is more accessible, economical, and reliable than any other service available to Filipinos worldwide.”

The partnership was formally introduced during a signing ceremony attended by executives and stakeholders from both organizations, including PNB Chairman Edgar Cua and Director Isabelita Papa, as well as DWC Executive Vice President Alex Rapi Milan. The milestone reflected the shared commitment of both institutions to expand financial inclusion and uplift the experience of overseas Filipinos.

“I am so happy to be back. When I joined Digital Wallet Group in 2016, being a former PNB executive was my main credential for being appointed to lead its fintech and remittance business. So I owe it to PNB — where I am now, and where Digital Wallet and Smiles Mobile Remittance are. Everything I know about banking and remittance, I learned here,” said DWC Director, COO and EVP Alex Rapi Milan. “With PNB’s banking infrastructure and Digital Wallet’s Japanese technologies and digital capabilities, we can serve our global Filipinos and their families to achieve their dreams – Every Step Together.”

Together, PNB and Digital Wallet Corp. are not just connecting systems, they are connecting lives and making it easier for Filipinos overseas to look after their loved ones, invest in their future, and feel closer to home.