The Visa MOONTON esports partnership took center stage at the conclusion of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Philippines Season 18, where Visa cardholders received access to designated fan experiences. Visa and MOONTON Games said the tournament drew 20,000 onsite fans at PhilSports Arena and reached over 1.49 million peak concurrent viewers during its two-month run, citing Esports Charts.
The MPL Philippines event followed the announcement of Visa as Global Payment Partner for the next three editions of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang M Series: the M8 World Championship in 2027 through the M10 World Championship in 2029. The M Series is MLBB’s flagship international competition and, according to Visa and MOONTON Games citing Esports Charts, the most-watched mobile esports tournament in history with 5.68 million peak concurrent viewers.
Cardholder access and player awards
At MPL Philippines Season 18, Visa said cardholders received early access to buy the Visa Mythical Glory Day Pass. The pass included Visa Mythical Glory VIP seating, meet-and-greet opportunities with teams and players, and entry to the Visa Mythical Glory Lounge.
Visa also sponsored the Alamat Awards during the tournament. The awards recognized a Visa Most Improved Player, Visa Comeback Player and Visa Rising Player. Visa said the awards were intended to recognize players who demonstrated skills and grit during the two-month tournament.
The Season 18 title went to Aurora Gaming PH, which defeated Team Falcons 4-2 to claim its first MPL championship, according to the supplied event caption. Visa’s mascot, Vee, also appeared at the finale and gave away freebies, the companies said.
Nico Leviste, Visa Philippines Head of Marketing, said the event demonstrated the “passion and energy” of the Filipino esports community. Lee Viloria, Esports Business Development Head, Philippines, at MOONTON Games, said the collaboration is intended to bring fans closer to teams and players while recognizing emerging talent.
A Philippine setting for a global series
The Visa MOONTON esports partnership places a payments brand alongside MLBB’s esports calendar in the Philippines, which the release describes as one of the game’s most dynamic esports communities. The release cites Digital in Asia’s estimate of a 68 million gaming and e-sports market in the country.
MOONTON Games, established in 2014, operates offices in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, according to its company background. It has more than 2,000 employees worldwide and says it has built long-term relationships with governments and esports organizations in more than 30 countries.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang has more than 1.5 billion installations and 110 million active monthly users, according to MOONTON’s company information. The game is available in 139 countries, while MLBB Esports says its MPL series is hosted across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. The company also says MPL is the first esports event series to surpass 1 billion hours of watch time globally.
For the local league, the Visa MOONTON esports partnership now connects MPL Philippines fan access and player recognition with Visa’s wider M Series commitment through 2029.
