Visa and USSC Money Services Launch ”U Accept” to Transform Smartphones into POS Terminals for Philippine MSMEs
Visa, in partnership with USSC Money Services Inc., has launched a groundbreaking service that allows Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines to accept contactless card payments directly via their smartphones. The initiative is strategically designed to lower the barriers to digital payment acceptance for business owners who do not possess traditional Point of Sale (POS) hardware.
The new service, branded as U Accept, empowers merchants to convert compatible smartphones into payment acceptance devices. It leverages Visa Accept technology and is fully integrated into USSC Money Services’ uGrow platform, an ecosystem tailored for entrepreneurs and small business operators.
The Economic Impact of MSMEs and Digital Adoption
Targeting a vast segment of the Philippine business landscape, the service addresses a critical economic sector. MSMEs represent more than 99% of all operating businesses in the Philippines and generate approximately 67% of the nation’s total employment.
The launch responds to a growing appetite for card payments among business owners. Recent survey data from Visa highlights the tangible benefits of digital payment adoption for small enterprises:
Visa Survey InsightPercentage of Philippine Small Business Owners
Sales Growth83% reported an increase in sales volume after accepting card payments.
Higher Ticket Sizes41% observed that customers spend larger amounts when paying with cards compared to other methods.
Willingness to Adopt67% of merchants not currently accepting cards are willing to adopt a solution if provided with adequate support.
Key Features of the U Accept & uGrow Ecosystem
By utilizing existing smartphones instead of requiring the purchase of dedicated payment terminals, Visa and USSC are eliminating the primary financial and infrastructural hurdles to digital transformation.
Beyond simple payment processing, the integrated solution offers comprehensive business tools:
Digital Receipts: Merchants can issue and send electronic receipts directly to customers via email.
Near Real-Time Settlement: Funds are settled almost instantaneously to U Visa Prepaid Cards, accelerating cash flow and supporting the daily liquidity needs of small businesses.
Business Management Suite: The uGrow platform features built-in digital tools for tracking sales histories, monitoring daily cash flows, and managing inventory within a single unified digital environment.
Executive Perspectives
"Making Visa Accept technology available brings payment innovation to business owners across the country. It opens the door for small businesses to accept secure and seamless payments from both local consumers and tourists visiting the Philippines," stated Jeffery Navarro, Visa Country Manager for the Philippines.
"Our goal is to remove the obstacles that prevent small businesses from adopting card payments by utilizing the smartphones that business owners already possess, rather than requiring them to invest in separate payment hardware," explained Jose Xavier Gonzales, President and CEO of USSC Money Services.
This strategic rollout reflects a broader global trend of leveraging smartphones as core payment infrastructure (SoftPOS). By expanding its acceptance network through everyday mobile devices, Visa aims to onboard entirely new segments of small businesses into the formal digital payments ecosystem.