As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means I earn commissions from my sponsored links or I make money when readers (you) purchase items through my links. Your purchase allows me to continue working as a stay-at-home dad who moonlights as a farmer and a musician. Needless to say, this post contains affiliate links.
Maya is near and dear to my heart. I don’t say that lightly.
They’ve been there in the tight spots… the moments when you need to send money fast, pay a bill at midnight, or just check if your balance is still okay before you buy groceries here in Davao.
And they’ve never let me down.
Not once.
Not in all the years I’ve been using them.
I’ve been a Maya user since 2020.
Back when it was still PayMaya.
And I remember being genuinely nervous when the rebrand happened in May 2022. I thought… is this the end?
Is it going away?
You know how it is when something you rely on starts transforming into something else and you’re just not sure if it’ll still feel the same?
That was me.
But then it came back.
Stronger.
Bigger.
Better.
And I breathed a sigh of relief.
I’m Going Off on a Tangent About Loyalty (Bear With Me)
Speaking of things that have been there for the long haul… today is June 2, 2026. And it’s my best friend Domz‘s birthday.
Happy birthday, Domz.
This one’s for you, man.
We met when we were 15.
Classmates.
Then somehow we ended up forming a band together, because of course we did… two teenagers who thought they could play music and take on the world.
And we kind of did.
We would drive around at night, no real destination, just cruising through the streets until the early morning when everything was quiet and the city felt like it belonged to just us.
Those were good times.
Really good times.
One time… and I still laugh about this… we lost our UP papers.
Registration papers.
Gone.
Why?
Because we forgot we put them on top of a jeepney.
Just set them there and got off not thinking that we’d left something so important to our future education.
The wind took care of the rest.
We panicked, obviously.
And then we laughed.
A lot.
That kind of disaster is only funny when you survive it with your best friend.
There were so many adventures like that.
Too many to count.
Years later, I was his best man at his wedding.
I stood there beside him on one of the biggest days of his life and I thought… yeah, this makes sense.
Of course I’m here.
Where else would I be?
And then in 2020, I got married.
Domz was living in Thailand at the time.
He didn’t want to commit to being best man because he was afraid he might not be able to make it and didn’t want to disappoint me.
So he came as a groomsman instead.
But he flew home from Thailand.
He came.
Because that’s what Domz does. He shows up.
That’s real friendship.
The kind that doesn’t expire, doesn’t rebrand, doesn’t ask for anything in return.
It just… stays.
That’s exactly how I honestly feel about Maya too.
I know that sounds like a stretch but stay with me.
Some things you just trust because they’ve never given you a reason not to.
Maya has been that for me financially.
Domz has been that for me personally.
Both of them… steady, reliable, still here after all this time.
Happy birthday, Domz.
Sheesh… this makes me sound so…
Ok, Back to Our Regular Programming…
Maya didn’t come out of nowhere.
It started all the way back in December 2000 as Smart Money, a service by Smart Communications that was reportedly the world’s first card linked to a wireless phone.
Then it became PayMaya in 2016… the version most of us Filipinos know and remember fondly.
By the end of 2021, PayMaya already had 44 million registered users.
In April 2022, the parent company Voyager Innovations (backed by PLDT and Smart) announced the rebrand to Maya, coinciding with the official launch of Maya Bank, a fully licensed digital bank under the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The rebranding officially happened on May 2, 2022.
Their vision?
To be, as they put it themselves, “everything and a bank.”
Between GCash and Maya, for me, Maya wins.
The biggest reason…
Maya gives you an actual physical card.
Not just an app on your phone.
A real, tangible Visa card you can swipe, tap, or insert into an ATM or payment terminal. That alone is a massive advantage.
Other e-wallets lock your money inside an app.
Maya lets you carry it in your wallet like a real bank card.
Because it IS a real bank card.
I prefer that.
A lot.
And on top of that, I use it for savings too.
Maya Savings offers interest rates that actually grow your money, starting at a base rate and going higher depending on how active you are with spending and referring friends.
No need to go to a physical bank for that.
One of the things I’m most proud of doing with Maya… I used it to give my workers access to banking.
And they don’t have access to banks because they sometimes lack documents.
Not Maya.
With Maya, there are:
- No long bank lines.
- No complicated requirements.
- No need to travel anywhere.
I just helped each of them sign up for their own Maya accounts (back when it was still Paymaya), went through the simple verification process, and then ordered physical cards for each one.
That’s it.
Now they have a card they can use to withdraw their salaries, buy things online, and manage their money like anyone with a real bank account.
It’s basically a payroll account for them.
And they didn’t have to set foot in a bank to get it.
That’s financial inclusion.
That’s what Maya actually does for regular Filipinos, not just in Manila but here in Davao too.
About the Maya Card
When my original Maya card expired, I didn’t just get a regular replacement. I ordered the Maya Pink Glitter Edition Card. Because life is short and the pink glitter card is fabulous. (I’m a man, yes. I do not care.)
The Maya app makes it easy to order your card… just go to the Cards tab, pick your card, add your @username if you want it printed on the card, review the details, pay, and wait for delivery. Simple as that.
You can also link up to 10 physical cards to your account, which is actually useful if you’re managing multiple cards for a family or, like me, for workers.
What Maya Can Do (According to Their Official Site)
Maya isn’t just a wallet. Here’s the full picture of what it offers:
- Send Money via QR code, phone number, or @username
- Pay Bills anytime, anywhere
- Bank Transfer to other local banks
- Buy Mobile Load and Gaming Pins
- Pay Online using your virtual or physical Visa card
- Maya Savings with competitive interest rates (up to 15% p.a. with card use through Maya Black)
- Crypto trading, buying, and selling inside the app
- Stocks and Funds for those who want to invest
- Insurance coverage for e-commerce purchases, health, and devices
- Maya Black Credit Card for those who want to build or rebuild credit
- Maya Center network of 55,000 partner agent touch points across the Philippines for cash-in and other services
- Use abroad wherever Visa is accepted (200+ countries)
It’s a lot. And I’ve used most of it at some point or another.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Actual physical Visa card, not just an app | Some features require account upgrade with ID verification |
| Real digital bank, regulated by the BSP | Delivery of physical cards can take up to 10 working days outside Metro Manila |
| Works anywhere Visa is accepted locally and abroad | Internet connection needed for most transactions |
| Easy setup, sign up with just 1 valid ID | Some older users find the app a bit overwhelming at first |
| Great for payroll disbursements for workers | |
| Savings account with competitive interest rates | |
| Crypto, stocks, and insurance all in one app | |
| Consistent, zero issues in my years of use |
I Recommend Maya
Especially if you’re a business owner here in Davao or anywhere in the Philippines. Especially if you want a reliable e-wallet that is an actual bank. Especially if you have workers who need simple, accessible financial accounts without the traditional banking headache.
Sign up. Get a card. Use it. You won’t regret it.
And if you do…
Please, Please, Please Sign Up Using My Referral Link
If you’re interested in becoming a Maya member and getting your own card (pink glitter or otherwise), please sign up using my referral link. It won’t cost you anything extra and it helps me keep things going here on the site.
Thank you!
Maya is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. For help, visit support.maya.ph or call their hotline at (+632) 8845-7788. Domestic Toll-Free: 1-800-1084-57788
