BDO Online Banking: The Ultimate Guide

Online banking makes things more convenient for us on many fronts. Whether it’s paying for groceries, deliveries, signing up for loans, or donating for causes, offsite cashless transactions are truly a life saver.

It is proving to be all the more useful during the COVID-19 pandemic where social distancing is not only encouraged but is a law, noncompliance of which is subject to heavy penalties.

BDO Unibank, Inc., commonly known as Banco de Oro, is a Philippine banking company owned by business tycoon Henry Sy of SM Group. According to The Philippine Star as of March 31, 2016, BDO is the largest bank in the Philippines, fifteenth largest in Southeast Asia, 116th largest in Asia, and the 234th largest bank globally in terms of total assets.

What is BDO Online Banking?

BDO Online Banking is the e-banking service of BDO Unibank, Inc. It gives their clients free mobile access to their bank accounts as well as a digitized way to manage their money.

BDO is the first Philippine bank to offer online money transfer from a BDO account for Cash Pickup at popular pawnshops (Cebuana Lhuillier, MLhuillier, Palawan Pawnshop, Villarica Pawnshop and RD Pawnshop), partner rural banks and SM Business Centers. It is also one of the few Philippine banks that partner with global money transfer companies like Xoom and Moneygram and US bank Wells Fargo*.

If you have a BDO account, you can access BDO Online Banking by browsing its website through an internet browser or by downloading its mobile app.

How does BDO Online work?

With BDO Online Banking, get things done wherever you are, anytime. You can:

• Check and manage account balances 24/7.
• See your 90-day transaction history.
• Pay your loans, utility, and credit card bills to over 300 billers.
• Send funds to a BDO account, non-BDO account, to another local bank or to a bank account abroad.
• Get electronic statements
• Enjoy 24/7 access to your credit card and checking account statements using your laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
• Perform Stop Payment on issued checks and  save images of them.
• Buy a load for SMART, Talk ‘N Text, Globe, Touch Mobile (TM) and SUN prepaid mobile phones.

How to use BDO Online

To register for a BDO Online Banking account, you must have one of the following accounts:

• Savings
• Checking
• Time deposit
• Prepaid card
• Auto Loan, Home Loan, Personal Loan, or SME Loan
• Trust account

Once registered, you can enroll your ATM card, own account, another person’s account, company/biller for paying  your bills, and your  own prepaid mobile  number for buying load online.

How to create a BDO Online Banking account

1. Go to the BDO Online Banking website or download the mobile app from the App Store or Playstore.
2. Click “Not Yet Enrolled? Enroll Now” button.
3. Tick the box that says you agree to the terms and conditions then hit submit.
4. Complete the initial form.
5. In the form, choose what type of online account you want to open: credit card or deposit account.
6. Enter your preferred username and password. 
7. BDO will send you an OTP. Enter the OTP and verify your credentials with your phone number.
8. Fill in the captcha.
9. Complete all the information needed and hit submit. 

How to check your balance and transaction history

1. Log in to BDO’s online banking website or app.
2. The homepage of your account will immediately show your current balance; the same goes for the app.
3. To check your transactions click the “My Account” option on the left-hand side of the screen.
4. You will be shown another set of the menu on a dropdown list.
5. Choose “transaction history”.
6. When using the mobile app, you can activate the “quick balance” feature. The “Quick Balance” feature lets you open the app and see your balance without having to log in.

How to transfer funds to another local bank, InstaPay, or through remittance center

BDO’s online transfer limit to a BDO and other banks is PHP50,000. Moving money to another BDO account is free.

1. Log on to your BDO account via online banking or the app.
2. Click “Send Money”, you can find the option at the bottom for the mobile app and on the left-hand side of your dashboard for the online banking account.
3. Next, select “Send Money to Another Local Bank” or InstaPay, on the dropdown menu. For remittance center transfer, select “Send Money to Any BDO Branch/Partner”.
4. Fill out the necessary field such as the account number, address and name of the account holder among the most necessary. 
5. Review the details and then hit “Confirm” once done. 

How to pay bills using your BDO deposit account or credit card account

If you’re a BDO account holder, there are two ways for you to get around this – with a credit card or with a regular deposit account. 

1. Logon to your BDO account via online banking or the app.
2. Click “Pay bills and reload”; you can find the option at the bottom for the mobile app and on the left-hand side of your dashboard for the online banking account. 
3. The next screen will show you a bunch of dropdown menus, the first one being is choosing the account you’ll use to pay – the “Pay From” menu. Choose your BDO deposit account or tap “Pay Bills Using Credit Card. 
4. Find your biller or the merchant that you wish to pay under the “Pay This Company/Biller” menu. 
5. Choose “Immediate” to pay the bill in real-time. 
6. Then enter the amount you wish to pay then tap on “Continue”
7. Review your payment details and hit “Confirm” once you’re all done. 

Pros and Cons of BDO Online

The COVID-19 pandemic has made online banking even more necessary these days, so it is important to know what more benefits we can reap from this service and the risks that come with it.

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What are the pros to using BDO Online Banking?

Convenience

E-banking services like BDO Online allows us to save time and track our finances everywhere anytime.

Saves time

Instead of queuing at the bank for important transactions, you can do it on your computer or phone which saves time and energy both for the bank and consumer.

Saves money

Interest rate is 0% to 1.25% (0.25% for most accounts), Minimum initial deposit is Php100 – Php50,000, and minimum maintaining balance is Php 100 – Php 50,000.

Responsible banking

Instant access to your bank account means you can manage your money properly and diligently. The BDO Online Banking app is also designed in a way that even the least tech-savvy user can understand and navigate it with ease.

Security

BDO Online Banking account is equipped with security measures to verify a user’s identity. In addition to entering a username and a password, users also have to key in a one-time password (OTP)—which BDO sends via SMS to the registered mobile phone number—each time they log in.

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What are the cons to using BDO Online Banking?

Security threats

In spite of the security measures, threats continue to arise. Most of these threats involve preying on user’s gullibility to egg them into giving their credentials to hackers.

Internet access

A user needs to have internet access to be able to use the service. This is a big disadvantage for those who have less than ideal network connection.

App issues

The  fonts are a bit smaller and the app is laggy or crashes frequently. OTP sometimes doesn’t work.

How to contact BDO Online Banking

Send them an email at [email protected]. Indicate in the Email Subject: “Bank” – for checking account, savings account and other banking-related concerns, and “Credit Cards” – for credit card related concerns. Call them in  these numbers:

 Metro Manila: (+632) 8631-8000

Domestic Toll-Free Nos:

• 1800-10-631-8000 (PLDT)
• 1800-3-631-8000 (Digitel)
• 1800-5-631-8000 (Bayantel)
• 1800-8-631-8000 (Globelines)

International Toll-Free Nos.:  IAC +800-8-631-8000