Yape (pronounced [ˈʝape]) is a super-app digital wallet and mobile payment application developed by the Banco de Crédito del Perú (BCP) in 2016. It was designed to simplify financial transactions for individuals and businesses. As of 2025, it has over 20 million users. Its features include instant, commission-free peer-to-peer transfers, bill payments, and purchases using a smartphone via a phone number or QR code, without requiring a traditional bank account, allowing it to be used by the unbanked population. Since its release, features added to the app include services such as microcredits, international remittances, and e-commerce purchases through Yape shop, and integration with international payment networks like TerraPay and EBANX for cross-border transactions. Its user-friendly interface and widespread acceptance by over 2 million businesses have made it a cornerstone of Peru's digital economy, reducing cash dependency and fostering seamless, secure financial interactions.^[promotion?]

Traces its origins back to 2016, when it was launched by the Banco de Crédito del Perú as an innovative solution to facilitate mobile payments. Conceived within BCP's headquarters, Yape was initially designed to enable quick and simple money transfers among young users without the need to use an ATM or a debit card, leveraging the growing use of smartphones in Peru. The application allowed users to send and receive money using only a mobile phone number or QR code, eliminating the need for cash or traditional banking infrastructure. This focus on accessibility and convenience positioned Yape as a transformative tool in a country where cash transactions were predominant, with over 90% of payments for goods and services made in cash as of 2022.

In its early years, Yape targeted BCP account holders, particularly young professionals and university students, but faced challenges in adoption due to low banking penetration rates among its initial target demographic. By 2017, the platform expanded to include users from other banks, significantly broadening its reach. The application's growth was further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which heightened the demand for contactless payment solutions. During this period, Yape became a critical tool for millions of Peruvians, smoothing safe and efficient transactions for everyday purchases, bill payments, and peer-to-peer transfers. By early 2020, Yape had 3.5 million users, with an additional 1.5 million joining during the pandemic, reflecting its role as a vital financial tool.

The platform's evolution included the introduction of new features to enhance its utility and inclusivity. In 2020, Yape launched the Yape Card, a virtual card that allowed users to register with only a national identity document (DNI), removing the requirement of a bank account. This development significantly advanced financial inclusion, enabling unbanked individuals to participate in the digital economy. By 2023, Yape had grown to over 12 million users, processing 10 million transactions daily, and expanded its services to include microcredits, bill payments, and mobile recharges.

Despite its achievements, Yape faced significant challenges. The application nearly failed on three occasions due to initial resistance from users accustomed to cash, internal resource allocation issues within BCP, and difficulties in promoting the app through traditional banking channels. Strategic adaptations, such as focusing on small merchants and introducing QR code payments for businesses, helped overcome these hurdles. By 2024, Yape had 14 million users, with approximately one in two Peruvians using the app, and it introduced features like international remittances and currency exchange. The platform's partnership with Brazil's EBANX in 2025 further expanded its capabilities for cross-border payments.

By 2025, it had over 17 million users and more than 2 million businesses accepting Yape payments. The platform is currently in collaboration with the Banco Central de Reserva del Perú to develop a real-time payment system similar to India's UPI underscore.

In Peruvian slang, yapa is a widely used term originating from the Quechua word ñapa, meaning "to add" or "to increase." In terms of food establishment, it denotes a small petition for a bonus during consumption at food stalls, such as an extra portion of food at markets or food stands. This term is deeply ingrained in everyday interactions, where it symbolizes goodwill and fosters customer loyalty.

However, an alternative hypothesis suggests that Yape may also be linked to the Peruvian colloquial expression Ya, pe (a shortened form of ya, pues), which has a rough translation to come on, okay then or even alright in English, depending the context. This phrase is commonly used in informal speech to express agreement, urgency, or encouragement. According to Rufino Arribas, an innovation, strategy, risk, and finance specialist and one of the main Yape managers, was his own invention and was chosen due the reason to be catchy and memorable.