# Send money from Japan to the Philippines: GCash, banks and cash pickup compared

URL: https://japanhow.com/money/remittance/send-money-japan-to-philippines/
Author: japanhow editors
Updated: Oct 20, 2026

## Summary

As of October 2026, Remitly and SBI Remit gave the most pesos on our ¥100,000 sample to the Philippines: PHP 39,418 with Remitly's ¥80 fee and PHP 39,391 with SBI Remit's ¥1,400 fee, for a bank account or GCash. Wise gave PHP 39,313 to bank accounts only, and Western Union PHP 39,189. Brastel (¥1,280), KYODAI (¥1,500) and Seven Bank with BDO (¥1,350) publish fees, but we couldn't record their rates. Japan Post Bank charges ¥3,000.

## Key facts

- Most received on our sample: PHP 39,418 (Remitly)
- GCash payout: SBI Remit, Remitly, Brastel, KYODAI
- SBI Remit fee: ¥1,400
- Japan Post Bank fee: ¥3,000

To send money from Japan to the Philippines, use a **registered money transfer company (資金移動業者)** that pays to the recipient's bank, GCash or a cash pickup counter. On our sample of **¥100,000 sent on October 20, 2026**, **Remitly** gave **PHP 39,418** and **SBI Remit** gave **PHP 39,391**, to a bank account or GCash. Wise and Western Union gave less. Japan Post Bank charges ¥3,000 before its rate. You need your residence card (在留カード) and My Number (個人番号), as of October 2026.

## How much does ¥100,000 to the Philippines cost?

We priced ¥100,000 paid in total by bank transfer, using quotes captured between 02:31 and 02:38 JST on October 20, 2026. Where a provider adds the fee on top, we took it out of the ¥100,000 first. Wise's mid-market rate at that moment was 1 JPY = 0.397418 PHP. Rates change every day.

| Provider | Fee | Rate (1 JPY =) | Recipient gets (bank) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remitly | ¥80 | 0.3945 PHP | PHP 39,418 |
| SBI Remit | ¥1,400 | 0.3995 PHP | PHP 39,391 |
| Wise | ¥1,078 | 0.397418 PHP | PHP 39,313 |
| Western Union | ¥1,400 | 0.3975 PHP | PHP 39,189 |

Remitly's figure is the regular price for a returning customer. New customers get a promotional rate and no fee on their first ¥100,000. SBI Remit's published rate was slightly above the mid-market rate we recorded at the same minute. Both are what the providers showed.

### GCash and cash pickup on the same sample

| Provider | GCash or wallet | Cash pickup |
|---|---|---|
| Remitly | PHP 39,418 (¥80) | PHP 39,411 (¥100) |
| SBI Remit | PHP 39,391 (same rate as bank) | PHP 39,314 (Palawan, 0.3987 PHP) |
| Western Union | PHP 39,189 (mobile wallet) | PHP 39,130 (0.3969 PHP) |
| Wise | Not offered | Not offered |

### Fee only, rate not captured

| Provider | Fee for ¥100,000 | Payouts |
|---|---|---|
| Brastel Remit | ¥1,280 | Bank, cash pickup, GCash, Maya, Coins.ph |
| Seven Bank with BDO (app) | ¥1,350 bank or GCash, ¥1,450 cash | Bank accounts, GCash, BDO, M Lhuillier and Cebuana Lhuillier counters |
| KYODAI Remittance | ¥1,500 | Bank, cash pickup, GCash |
| Seven Bank with Western Union | ¥1,650 bank, ¥1,950 cash | Bank, Western Union agents |
| Japan Post Bank | ¥3,000, plus possible intermediary charges | Bank (SWIFT) |

BDO Remit Japan and Metro Remittance Japan are also registered with the FSA. We couldn't find a current official fee page for either, so they aren't compared here.

## Which provider is best for the Philippines?

We score each provider with a full price on the sample, using our [remittance method](/money/remittance/send-money-from-japan/): total cost (30%), speed (15%), payout options (15%), sign-up for foreigners (15%), support (10%) and regulation (15%). "n/a" means no evidence, and it's left out of the average.

| Provider | Cost | Speed | Payouts | Sign-up | Support | Regulation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remitly | 7.6 | n/a | 10 | 8 | 7 | 10 | **8.4** |
| SBI Remit | 7.4 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 10 | **8.0** |
| Wise | 6.8 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 10 | **7.5** |
| Western Union | 5.8 | n/a | 9 | 7 | 7 | 10 | **7.5** |

- **Remitly:** most pesos on our sample, and the widest payouts: bank, cash pickup, GCash, Maya and home delivery; no published delivery times.
- **SBI Remit:** GCash at its bank rate, and bank deposits within 15 minutes for Group-1 banks; ¥1,400 fee.
- **Wise:** mid-market rate and usually fast, but bank accounts only.
- **Western Union:** bank, wallet and cash pickup, but the fewest pesos of the four.

All four are registered with the FSA: Remitly Japan (Kanto 00077), SBI Remit (Kanto 00008), Wise Payments Japan (Kanto 00040) and Western Union Japan (Kanto 00039).

**Best for:**

- **Most pesos to a bank or GCash:** Remitly, with SBI Remit close behind.
- **GCash with a published fee table:** SBI Remit (¥1,400 at ¥50,001 to ¥200,000).
- **Cash at a pawnshop counter:** SBI Remit (Palawan) or Brastel (pawnshops and LBC).

## How does the money arrive in the Philippines?

- **Bank account:** SBI Remit pays to about 60 banks. Deposits to Group-1 banks arrive within 15 minutes, 24/7. Above PHP 50,000 at Group-2 banks, it takes one or two business days. Remitly names BDO, BPI, PNB, Security Bank and RCBC among its partners.
- **GCash:** SBI Remit, Remitly, Brastel, KYODAI and Seven Bank's BDO service all pay to GCash. Brastel's wallet payouts arrive within 10 minutes, up to PHP 50,000.
- **Cash pickup:** SBI Remit through MoneyGram, usually about 10 minutes. Remitly names M Lhuillier, Cebuana Lhuillier, LBC and USSC. Seven Bank's BDO service has about 14,000 pickup locations.

**GCash has its own limits:** GCash caps how much an account can receive in 30 days: PHP 100,000 for Fully Verified users, PHP 500,000 with linked banks and PHP 1,000,000 for GCash Platinum, according to SBI Remit. A transfer above the recipient's limit can fail.

## How do I send money to the Philippines step by step?

## Can I pay in cash without a bank transfer?

Yes, with some providers. This helps if you're new in Japan and your bank account isn't ready yet.

- **SBI Remit at FamilyMart:** pay cash at the Multi Copier with a 17-digit order number, up to ¥100,000 per deposit, 07:00 to 21:00. The deposit fee is ¥800 for ¥50,000 to ¥100,000, on top of the remittance fee.
- **SBI Remit's Remit Card:** deposit at Japan Post ATMs for ¥330 up to ¥50,000 and ¥500 above, or at Lawson Bank ATMs for ¥300.
- **Brastel's free card:** deposit at Japan Post Bank ATMs for ¥440 (¥1,000 to ¥110,000).
- **Seven Bank ATMs:** since May 2026, KYODAI customers can deposit cash at Seven Bank ATMs with a card or the スマホATM smartphone service.
- **Western Union:** accepts cash at convenience stores (コンビニ払い).

Remitly doesn't accept cash at ATMs or credit cards from Japan. Wise is cheapest when you pay by bank transfer; a debit card raised its fee on our sample to about ¥3,700 to ¥4,900.

## What do I need to sign up in Japan?

- **Residence card (在留カード).** Wise, SBI Remit, Western Union, Remitly and Brastel accept it as ID for foreign residents. SBI Remit also takes a My Number card or driver's license, and may ask for your passport if your card shows your name in kanji.
- **My Number.** The overseas transfer reporting law requires it for every transfer abroad, including through money transfer companies.
- **A way to pay in yen.** Most providers want a bank transfer; the cash options are above.

Each transfer through a Type 2 provider is capped at ¥1,000,000 by law. SBI Remit's bank deposits to the Philippines are capped at PHP 500,000 per transaction, and Seven Bank's BDO service at ¥500,000. Our [send money from Japan guide](/money/remittance/send-money-from-japan/) explains the limits and the tax-office reporting over ¥1,000,000.

More guides: [send money from Japan to Vietnam](/money/remittance/send-money-japan-to-vietnam/), [send money from Japan to India](/money/remittance/send-money-japan-to-india/) and [opening a bank account in Japan](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/).

## Questions people ask

### How do I send money from Japan to GCash?

Use a provider that pays to GCash: SBI Remit, Remitly, Brastel Remit, KYODAI Remittance or Seven Bank's BDO service. On our ¥100,000 sample, SBI Remit's GCash rate was the same as its bank rate, giving PHP 39,391 after its ¥1,400 fee.

### What is SBI Remit's rate to the Philippines today?

At 02:31 JST on October 20, 2026, SBI Remit's reference rate was 1 JPY = 0.3995 PHP for bank accounts and GCash, and 0.398724 PHP for Palawan cash pickup. The fee for ¥50,001 to ¥200,000 is ¥1,400. Check the live rate before sending, as it changes daily.

### Can I send money from Japan to BPI or BDO?

Yes. Remitly lists BPI and BDO among its bank partners, SBI Remit pays to about 60 Philippine banks, and Seven Bank's app sends to BDO accounts for ¥1,350 on ¥50,001 to ¥100,000.

### Is Western Union cheap from Japan to the Philippines?

On our sample, Western Union charged ¥1,400 and gave PHP 39,189 to a bank account, the least of the four providers we could price. Its cash pickup gave PHP 39,130.

## Sources

- [資金移動業者登録一覧 (as of Aug 31, 2026)](https://www.fsa.go.jp/menkyo/menkyoj/shikin_idou.xlsx), 金融庁 (FSA) (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [資金決済に関する法律施行令, art. 12-2](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/422CO0000000019), e-Gov 法令検索 (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [国外送金等調書法 (Overseas Wire Transfer Statement Act)](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/409AC0000000110), e-Gov 法令検索 (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Send money to the Philippines (calculator)](https://wise.com/jp/send-money/send-money-to-philippines), Wise (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Getting verified in Japan](https://wise.com/help/articles/2968293/getting-verified-in-japan), Wise (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Remittance fee](https://www.remit.co.jp/en/kaigaisoukin/exchangeratecommission/commission/), SBI Remit (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Current exchange rates (2026/10/20 02:31)](https://ires.remit.co.jp/IRESWeb/ExchangeDirect.jsf), SBI Remit (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Remittance to the Philippines](https://www.remit.co.jp/en/kaigaisoukin/sendremittance/remittancearea/philippines/), SBI Remit (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Flow for individuals](https://www.remit.co.jp/en/kaigaisoukin/service/flowindividual/), SBI Remit (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Western Union Japan (home page and price calculator)](https://www.westernunion.com/jp/en/home.html), Western Union Japan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Send money to the Philippines from Japan (page and calculator)](https://www.remitly.com/jp/en/money-transfer/send-money-to-philippines), Remitly (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Send money to India from Japan (payment and ID rules)](https://www.remitly.com/jp/en/money-transfer/send-money-to-india), Remitly (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Fees](https://kyodairemittance.com/fees), KYODAI Remittance (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Fees](https://brastelremit.jp/eng/fees), Brastel Remit (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [The smartest app to send money from Japan](https://brastelremit.jp/24h/), Brastel Remit (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Philippine Money Transfer Service with BDO Unibank](https://www.sevenbank.co.jp/soukin/en/bdo/service.html), Seven Bank (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [International Money Transfer Service (with Western Union)](https://www.sevenbank.co.jp/soukin/en/wu/), Seven Bank (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Convenience store remittance](https://www.remit.co.jp/en/kaigaisoukin/sendremittance/method/famiport/), SBI Remit (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Deposit fee](https://www.remit.co.jp/en/kaigaisoukin/exchangeratecommission/deposit/), SBI Remit (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [ATM tie-ups with Unidos, Queen Bee Capital and Dicommunications (May 1, 2026)](https://digitalpr.jp/r/133924), Seven Bank (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [料金 (国際送金)](https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/ryokin/rkn_others.html), ゆうちょ銀行 (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [外為手数料（個人のお客さま）](https://www.bk.mufg.jp/tesuuryou/gaitame.html), 三菱UFJ銀行 (accessed Oct 20, 2026)