Consumers across parts of Asia-Pacific are willing to give up some remittance speed in exchange for stronger fraud protection as digital money transfers become more common, according to Visa’s latest regional research.
Visa said its Money Travels 2026 Digital Remittances Adoption Report surveyed more than 45,000 remittance senders and receivers across 20 markets. The Asia-Pacific findings cover Australia, mainland China, India, Japan, the Philippines and Singapore.
Concern about AI-enabled fraud was highest among respondents in the Philippines and India, at 62 percent and 53 percent respectively. Visa said 68 percent of respondents in Japan and 57 percent in both Singapore and Australia would accept a 24-hour transfer delay in exchange for stronger AI-powered fraud protection.
The findings suggest that speed is no longer the only factor shaping how consumers evaluate cross-border transfers. Trust in the provider, transparency and security are increasingly part of the decision, particularly as instant payments and digital remittance channels expand.
Visa’s survey also found large differences in how remittances are used across the region. In the Philippines, 45 percent of respondents reported sending money and the same share reported receiving it. The report said 47 percent of Philippine respondents used remittances for household bills and 42 percent for emergencies.
Mobile banking applications were the preferred remittance channel across the six Asia-Pacific markets, with usage ranging from 33 percent to 60 percent. Mobile wallets were also prominent in India, the Philippines and mainland China, while 32 percent of Japanese respondents still preferred physical bank branches.
Reported exposure to scams varied widely. Visa said 40 percent of respondents in India had encountered a scam involving remittances, compared with 29 percent in the Philippines, 19 percent in mainland China and 11 percent in Japan.
The findings arrive as payment networks and financial institutions expand automated fraud controls. Earlier this month, Visa announced additional account-to-account fraud detection capabilities aimed at identifying suspicious transactions before funds leave an account.
The Money Travels survey was conducted by Morning Consult for Visa from February 24 to March 2, 2026. Visa said respondents received definitions for less familiar payment concepts such as stablecoins, while questions involving future stablecoin use were hypothetical and measured stated attitudes rather than actual transaction behavior.
Featured image: Julio Lopez on Unsplash