The Philippines’ 24/7 Payment System Is Coming But So Are Greater Cyber Risks

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has announced a major milestone for the country’s financial infrastructure: by 2026, the Philippine Payment and Settlement System (PhilPaSS) Plus will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This shift marks a significant step toward a truly real-time, always-on payments ecosystem one that supports instant domestic transfers, connects with foreign payment networks, and enables services such as same-day settlement of bond trades, continuous remittances, and smoother cross-border e-commerce transactions.

According to BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan, the system is already capable of operating continuously and will move past its current weekday schedule of 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. The central bank is now working closely with banks, quasi-banks, e-money issuers, clearing switch operators, and market infrastructures to finalize the design for the expanded operating environment. This also includes deploying automated intraday liquidity tools and new liquidity-saving mechanisms to ensure transactions remain efficient even at peak volumes.

The economic benefits of a 24/7 settlement system are significant. Economists expect improved consumer spending due to faster fund availability, greater agility for MSMEs and digital workers through accelerated cash turnover, and a broader push for financial inclusion. With PhilPaSS Plus handling over ₱151 trillion in transactions in Q3 alone up nearly 21% year on year the transition to round-the-clock operations is poised to amplify the country’s digital economy.

However, running a national payments system with constant uptime introduces a new layer of responsibility and risk. Increased availability means increased exposure. Cyber threats do not follow business hours, and a payment infrastructure that never sleeps must be backed by cybersecurity systems that never blink. Real-time monitoring, intelligent threat detection, and proactive vulnerability management will become essential not optional.

This is where trusted cybersecurity partners become increasingly important. As organizations prepare to operate in a 24/7 payments environment, many are turning to Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) for support. Directpath Global Technologies Inc. (DGT) helps institutions strengthen resilience through Mobile Threat Defense (MTD), Extended Detection and Response (XDR), Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT), SOC 2 readiness, Vulnerability Risk Management as a Service (VRMaaS), Web Application Firewall (WAF) solutions, and vCISO advisory.

Beyond traditional services, DGT’s Artificial Intelligence Division provides tailored insights that improve not only cybersecurity posture but also operational efficiency an advantage for organizations navigating the demands of continuous financial operations.

As the Philippines moves toward a fully real-time payments ecosystem, the opportunity for growth is immense but so is the need for strong, intelligent, and adaptive cyber defense. Retailers, banks, fintech firms, and digital businesses should begin preparing now. A 24/7 financial system requires 24/7 cybersecurity, and those who invest early will be best positioned to thrive in the country’s next wave of digital acceleration. Source: YugaTech