RCBC, HIVEX and Novus explore cross-border QR payments in the Philippines

TBCASoft, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation and Novus Transact Philippines signed an MOU on July 27, 2026, to assess cross-border QR payment connectivity between the Philippines and the HIVEX network. The deal could let Filipino wallet users pay abroad and allow overseas travelers to pay at QR Ph merchants in the Philippines.

Why it matters: - The MOU could make cross-border QR payments easier for Filipino consumers and foreign visitors. - The plan could also drive more transactions for Philippine merchants from international travelers. - The effort targets payment interoperability without forcing participants to give up their own governance, compliance or commercial relationships.

What happened: - On July 27, 2026, TBCASoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation and Novus Transact Philippines Corporation. - The parties will explore cross-border QR payment connectivity between the Philippines and the HIVEX Network. - The agreement covers both inbound and outbound payment use cases. - Inbound use cases would let HIVEX wallet partners make person-to-merchant QR payments at QR Ph merchants across the Philippines. - Outbound use cases would let RCBC wallet users pay at HIVEX acceptance markets overseas.

The details: - The overseas markets under review include Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China and other Southeast Asian countries. - The collaboration will assess technical, operational, business and regulatory requirements before implementation. - The objective is to improve cross-border payment convenience for consumers and support merchant growth from international travelers. - RCBC is one of the top banks in the Philippines and ranks as the fifth largest privately owned bank in the country. - RCBC offers financial products and services to individuals and businesses nationwide and has operated for 65 years. - Novus Technologies is a Singapore-headquartered payments technology and managed-services company operating across seven Asian markets. - Novus runs its solutions as Service as Software, providing both the technology and the operations. - In the Philippines, Novus is a BSP-registered Operator of Payment Systems and a BancNet member. - Novus Transact Philippines Corporation serves as the Philippine gateway and customer support partner for the HIVEX Network. - HIVEX is a federated payment framework built to connect acceptance partners, e-wallet ecosystems and payment networks across markets and form factors. - RCBC is a member of the Yuchengco Group of Companies. - RCBC has been recognized as the Best Bank for Digital and Best Bank for Customer Experience. - RCBC’s website is RCBC.com.

Between the lines: - The pitch is about interoperability, not replacing existing payment rails. - TBCASoft framed HIVEX as a cross-border standard that can bridge domestic payment ecosystems while preserving data boundaries. - Novus’ role suggests the partnership is not just a network agreement, but also an operating and support arrangement on the ground in the Philippines. - RCBC’s participation signals a bank-led route into cross-border QR use, which could help adoption if merchants and regulators align.

What's next: - The parties will work through technical, operational, business and regulatory evaluations. - Any rollout would depend on implementation readiness and regulatory clearance. - If approved, the corridor could expand QR payment acceptance for travelers and Filipino wallet users across participating markets.

The bottom line: - The MOU is an early step toward linking Philippine QR payments with a broader cross-border network that could make overseas spending and inbound tourism payments more seamless.