JCB and GHL expand payment options across Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines
GHL Systems Berhad (GHL) and JCB International, the international operations subsidiary of JCB, Japan’s leading international payment…

GHL Systems Berhad (GHL) and JCB International, the international operations subsidiary of JCB, Japan’s leading international payment brand, have officially announced its strategic partnership, enabling the acceptance of JCB Cards for GHL’s merchants in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. This regional collaboration represents a significant step forward for both companies, aiming to empower merchants and shoppers across these regions with enhanced payment convenience.
With JCB’s extensive global presence and card network, this partnership adds another dimension to GHL’s payment solutions. GHL merchants will seamlessly accept JCB Cards, offering a smooth payment experience for JCB cardmembers.
With GHL’s merchant network stretching over a vast footprint of over 480,000 payment touchpoints, spanning various sectors across Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, this partnership holds the potential to significantly increase JCB Card usage and accessibility. Through this partnership, the entire region can benefit from greater flexibility and the fostering of stronger business relationships between merchants and customers alike.
The tourism industry is projected to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, with international tourism levels expected to surpass pre-pandemic figures. This resurgence is primarily driven by a stronger recovery in Asia, according to a report by the UN World Tourism Organization.
Hiroko Michishita, Managing Director, JCB International Asia Pacific said, “This is a milestone for JCB’s business expansion in the region since GHL has a strong presence as well as ambition to grow further in acquiring business. Leveraging this partnership, we will be able to better serve our cardmembers from across the globe with enhanced card acceptance points. In addition, our confidence in this partnership is strengthened as GHL utilizes the JCB Payment Gateway* powered by Soft Space.”
The rollout is set to begin in Malaysia, followed by Thailand and the Philippines.
Please follow us to read more about Finance & FinTech in Japan, like hundreds of readers do every day. We invite you to also register for our short weekly digest, the “Japan FinTech Observer”, on Medium, on LinkedIn, or on Substack.
We also provide a daily short-form Japan FinTech Observer news podcast, available via its Podcast Page. Our global Finance & FinTech Podcast, “eXponential Finance” is available through its own LinkedIn newsletter, or via its Podcast Page.
Should you live in Tokyo, or just pass through, please also join our meetup. In any case, our YouTube channel and LinkedIn page are there for you as well.