- Digital banking users now have more ways to secure their accounts, from temporarily blocking transactions after security changes to checking a recipient before sending money.
- Metrobank has rolled out four security features in its mobile app that give customers additional control over their accounts and add safeguards against unauthorized transactions.
- The four features include:
Digital banking users now have more ways to secure their accounts, from temporarily blocking transactions after security changes to checking a recipient before sending money.
Metrobank has rolled out four security features in its mobile app that give customers additional control over their accounts and add safeguards against unauthorized transactions.
The four features include:
1. A 24-hour Cooling-Off Period
Customers get an automatic 24-hour safety buffer whenever critical security settings, such as their password or registered device, are changed. Transactions through the app are temporarily disabled during this period.
The feature gives customers time to spot suspicious changes, secure their account and report unauthorized activity before funds can potentially be moved.
2. Money Lock for savings
Customers can instantly lock part or all of their available balance through Money Lock. Locked funds cannot be transferred or used for transactions, including scheduled transactions, until the customer unlocks them.
Metrobank advises users to keep enough funds available for upcoming scheduled transactions before using the feature.
3. Geolocation checks
The app can check whether a transaction is being initiated from the customer's registered mobile device and its location. Unusual activity can then be flagged as an additional safeguard against unauthorized transactions.
The feature operates in the background during normal use.
4. Payee Verification
Before customers complete a transfer to another Metrobank account, Payee Verification displays a masked version of the recipient's registered account name.
This gives users an opportunity to confirm that the money is going to the intended recipient before completing the transaction, helping reduce mistakes caused by incorrect account details.
What customers need to do
Customers can access the features by updating to the latest version of the Metrobank App. The new safeguards are part of Metrobank's efforts to strengthen digital banking security amid evolving scams and the government's implementation of the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA).
According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, scammers are increasingly targeting bank customers through phishing, account takeovers and identity theft, which accounted for 76% of reported cyber fraud losses in 2025.
The new tools, however, do not replace basic precautions such as avoiding suspicious links, protecting account credentials and verifying recipients before sending money. Instead, they add additional checkpoints that can help customers detect or stop potentially unauthorized activity.