Tagged: Philippines

August 9, 2026 @ 11:12 am By Michael Wong  |  

Philippine digital bank Maya has called for the country’s financial inclusion efforts to move beyond expanding account ownership and focus more on whether consumers are building savings, gaining access to responsible credit, and becoming more resilient to financial shocks. Formal account ownership in the Philippines… Read More

August 8, 2026 @ 7:26 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippines is emerging as one of the most attractive fintech markets in the region as limited access to formal credit leaves significant room for digital financial services providers to expand, according to BillEase co-founder Georg Steiger. “The Philippines is the most exciting fintech market… Read More

August 4, 2026 @ 7:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) mobile payment platform has officially become available in the Philippines, allowing consumers to make contactless transactions using their iPhones and compatible Apple devices. The long-anticipated expansion lets eligible users add supported debit and credit cards to the Wallet app and complete payments with… Read More

July 26, 2026 @ 12:22 am By Michael Wong  |  

Cash remittances sent home by overseas Filipinos rose 2.0% in May from a year earlier to $2.71 billion, extending steady growth that continued to support household income and domestic demand, central bank data accessed by CrowdFund Insider showed. The increase brought cash remittances in the… Read More

July 12, 2026 @ 11:43 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Payments infrastructure company Xendit has integrated Philippine payments provider Dragonpay into its regional platform, giving Dragonpay merchants access to more than 100 payment methods, payouts, cross-border payments and financing. The announcement does not involve a new acquisition or share transaction, a Dragonpay spokesman told Crowdfund… Read More

July 12, 2026 @ 10:55 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has urged Filipinos to borrow only from registered lenders, warning that illegal operators may charge exorbitant interest rates and resort to unfair collection practices. The corporate regulator said consumers should use safe, transparent and regulated loan products, including… Read More

June 30, 2026 @ 10:16 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Mynt Inc., the parent company of the Philippines’ dominant digital wallet GCash, has formally filed paperwork for what would become the country’s largest-ever initial public offering. The move positions the fintech unicorn to raise as much as $1.5 billion by selling up to roughly 12… Read More

June 29, 2026 @ 8:34 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Philippines is accelerating its shift toward digital financial inclusion by integrating fintech platforms into government assistance programs. A key example is the recent collaboration between the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Maya, which enables the electronic delivery of fuel subsidies to… Read More

June 28, 2026 @ 1:05 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Philippine private equity firm Navegar has secured a $15 million commitment from Sweden’s development finance institution Swedfund for its third private equity fund, adding fresh capital to back mid-sized companies as investors continue to see opportunities in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies. The investment… Read More

June 28, 2026 @ 10:07 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, is moving to make digital transaction fees fairer and more transparent by requiring banks, e-wallet operators and other payment service providers to justify how they price electronic payment services. Under Circular No. 1238,… Read More

June 22, 2026 @ 4:55 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, has increased the maximum repayment period for salary-based consumer loans to seven years, a move aimed at making credit more affordable for borrowers while reinforcing responsible lending standards among banks and other regulated… Read More

June 14, 2026 @ 12:56 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned the public against several online lending platforms accused of illegally using the names and regulatory credentials of legitimate financing and lending companies to solicit borrowers. In recent advisories, the SEC flagged Perasayo.com for allegedly using the… Read More

May 30, 2026 @ 8:31 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, and the Insurance Commission highlighted the potential of bundling parametric insurance with credit in enhancing lending to climate-exposed sectors. Parametric insurance provides automatic payouts once predefined weather thresholds are met. When bundled with… Read More

April 12, 2026 @ 12:11 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched a 4 billion peso ($68 million) loan program for micro, small, and medium enterprises, as the government moves to help smaller businesses cope with economic risks linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Trade… Read More

March 14, 2026 @ 4:39 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed lifting a moratorium on new online lending platforms, reopening the market to new digital lenders while imposing tougher capital, disclosure, and consumer-protection rules on financing and lending companies. The draft circular, published for comment on March… Read More

February 5, 2026 @ 3:35 am By Michael Wong  |  

Cross-border payments in Southeast Asia are shifting from pure remittances to “everyday” obligations, like social security contributions, where compliance and local rails are as important as speed. A new Malaysia–Philippines partnership is betting that overseas Filipinos will be an early driver of that interoperable-payments push…. Read More

February 1, 2026 @ 5:02 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Sovereign wealth funds typically spread capital across global markets. The Philippines’ newest one says it is narrowing its focus instead. The Maharlika Investment Corporation, the Philippines’ sovereign wealth fund, said it will deploy capital in fiscal year 2026 across four strategic pillars — energy, logistics,… Read More

December 22, 2025 @ 12:01 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippines’ Securities and Exchange Commission has ordered Trading Point Holdings Ltd, which operates under the XM brand, to immediately stop soliciting investments, saying it was offering products to the public without the required registrations and licenses. In a cease-and-desist order, the regulator directed Trading… Read More

December 13, 2025 @ 2:35 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

GoTyme Bank, which claims to be one of the fastest-growing banks in the Philippines and a JV between the Gokongwei Group and Tyme Group, announced the launch of its cryptocurrency investment feature. This launch was reportedly made possible in partnership with Alpaca, a global player… Read More

December 8, 2025 @ 8:02 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission has sought public comment on proposed rules that would set a regulatory framework for sukuk, as Manila tries to broaden funding options and deepen its capital markets through Islamic finance. In a draft memorandum circular issued on Nov. 26,… Read More