Payment preferences, user experience insights and other remittance sending/receiving metrics have been analyzed for some parts of the region.

Based on a January 2025 survey of 44,000 senders and receivers across 20 countries and territories*, a global payment processing firm has shared some findings on digital remittance adoption and user experience trends in parts of the Asia Pacific region (Australia, China, India, Japan, Philippines, Singapore) with the media.

First, in the digital applications were the most preferred channel to send and receive remittances in APAC respondents, with usage rates reported as 74%/76% in India, 58%/56% in Japan, 74%/66% in the Philippines, and 70%/75% in Singapore.

Second, for the same sending/receiving pathways, respondents in the Philippines (73%/73%), Australia (58%/55%), Singapore (67%/66%), and India (55%/53%) had indicated that digital payments were the fastest way to access funds.

Other findings
Third, when posed with close-ended questions about absence of issues when sending/receiving digital remittances, APAC respondents citing the highest rates of smooth transactions were Australia (48%/53%), Japan (37%/41%), Singapore (36%/37%), and Mainland China (38%/31%). Also:

  • Reasons cited for sending or receiving remittances varied, including contributing to accounts or investments (Mainland China 45%/36%, Singapore 38%/33%, Japan 27%/23%); sending for humanitarian needs (Mainland China 45%/33%, India 40%, Singapore 27%, Australia 25%); sending for unexpected needs (India 44%, Philippines 41%, Australia 31%); and receiving regular remittances (Philippines 39%, Mainland China 34%, India 30%).
  • Digital applications were cited by respondents as the most secure method for sending and receiving remittances, with top responses from those polled in India (50%/53%), Australia (49%/45%), and Singapore (44%/42%).
  • Ease of use for digital remittances was indicated by respondents in Australia (42%/40%), Japan (47%/42%), the Philippines (48%/54%), and Singapore (51%/51%).
  • Fees associated with digital app remittances were cited as a pain point, led by responses from the Philippines (43%/30%), India (36%/33%), and Singapore (32%/32%).
  • High fees were noted as a top pain point for physical remittances across markets, with respondents from the Philippines (45%/29%), India (41%/37%), Singapore (38%/30%), and Australia (29%/30%) reporting these concerns.
  • Challenges for physical remittances included inconvenience and long travel distances, cited by 36% of respondents in India and 27% in Mainland China; 29% of respondents in Australia and Singapore each noted inconvenience and time consumption.
  • Perceived security of physical remittances was low across most APAC respondents, ranging from 3% to 6%, with Mainland China respondents citing higher levels between of 10% and 12%.

According to Rhidoi Krishnakumar, Vice President/Head of Visa Direct (Asia Pacific), Visa, the firm disclosing its survey results: “Remittances have long been a lifeline across Asia Pacific, and they will continue to play a vital role in uplifting communities and livelihoods. At the same time, many small businesses are also beneficiary of remittances driving local growth in local economies.”

* Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Singapore, Sweden, United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom and the United States. Specific details on sample selection, data collection methods, and question design were not disclosed.