Tagged: Philippines

June 29, 2025 @ 10:57 am By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippine government has intensified its crackdown on abusive online lending platforms after receiving more than 13,000 complaints from borrowers who reported harassment, threats, and privacy violations. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) is leading the nationwide campaign in coordination with the Securities and Exchange… Read More

June 8, 2025 @ 3:55 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippines and India are accelerating efforts to strengthen collaboration in financial technology and broader development cooperation, as both nations seek to harness digital innovation to drive economic growth. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto recently held talks with Indian Ambassador Harsh Jain to identify new avenues… Read More

May 17, 2025 @ 11:01 am By Michael Wong  |  

BillEase, a digital consumer finance platform in the Philippines, has partnered with Maya Business, the country’s largest digital payments processor, to bring its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) service to Maya’s ecosystem. The integration enables installment-based payments at checkout via QRPh-enabled point-of-sale (POS) terminals and… Read More

May 10, 2025 @ 11:26 am By Michael Wong  |  

Filipinos spent approximately 1.54 billion seconds — or about 49 years — using non-bank digital lending applications in 2024, according to new analysis released by digital lender Digido. The study examined activity across 47 digital lending apps registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 4:37 am By Michael Wong  |  

LenderLink Philippines, a fintech startup building the Philippines’ first high-tech, real-time credit bureau, raised $1.25 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round led by venture firms Iterative and Kaya Founders, the company said. The pre-seed round, the startup’s first external raise since its founding last… Read More

April 25, 2025 @ 4:13 am By Omar Faridi  |  

World, the human-centered financial and identity network, is reportedly a global network of 12,185,058 “real humans.” According to a blog post by World, more than 1500 Orbs “currently live in the field to verify unique humanness across 23 countries.” As with any network, its developers… Read More

March 25, 2025 @ 8:14 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Fintech ecosystem in the Philippines is experiencing a surge in 2025, cementing its role as a key player in Southeast Asia’s financial technology ecosystem. Although a relatively smaller economy in terms of GDP growth and GDP per capita when compared to some nearby countries… Read More

March 9, 2025 @ 12:36 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Blockchain-powered sustainability platform IMPT.io has unveiled a worldwide campaign called #ExploreResponsibly that encourages travelers to adopt more eco-conscious habits and offset their carbon footprints. Starting in the Philippines and expanding globally, the initiative is designed to raise awareness of environmental challenges in tourism while rewarding… Read More

March 6, 2025 @ 9:22 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tonik has crossed 1 million cumulative loans disbursed since inception, cementing its status as the Philippines’ credit-led digital bank and propelling a new era of “credit inclusion.” While traditional banking institutions continue to emphasize corporate credit, Tonik zeroes in on a “$40 billion latent unsecure… Read More

February 27, 2025 @ 9:58 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

World, which claims to be the largest human-centered financial and identity network, is now available in the Philippines, a country fueled by a young, digitally savvy population and an emerging middle class “eager to adopt new technologies and financial solutions.” World ID Orb verifications are… Read More

February 23, 2025 @ 5:18 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippines has been removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list after more than three years, following significant progress in strengthening its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) framework, the global financial watchdog said. The FATF, which monitors global efforts to combat… Read More

February 16, 2025 @ 6:13 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Financial technology firms are emerging as alternative lenders for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including those in agriculture, amid banks’ continued hesitancy to extend loans to the sector. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Monetary Board member Romeo Bernardo said fintech firms are playing an… Read More

February 3, 2025 @ 8:56 am By Michael Wong  |  

Crowdfunding is emerging as a viable capital-raising tool for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines, generating over P2 billion (about $34 million) in fresh funds for small businesses, industry sources said. The growth comes as 361 companies have tapped licensed crowdfunding intermediaries… Read More

February 2, 2025 @ 5:44 pm By Michael Wong  |  

InfiniVAN Inc., a telecommunications arm of IPS, Inc., has joined forces with Maybank Philippines Inc. in a bid to upgrade the bank’s financial services and enhance its security framework through advanced internet solutions. The collaboration follows the successful completion of the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable… Read More

January 22, 2025 @ 7:13 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Global investment firm KKR has enlisted Goldman Sachs to facilitate the sale of its significant minority stake in Philippine fintech company Maya, according to a Reuters report that cited two sources with direct knowledge of the matter. KKR, which owns more than 20% of Maya,… Read More

January 14, 2025 @ 9:22 pm By Michael Wong  |  

GCash, the leading fintech platform in the Philippines, has engaged major international banks for its upcoming initial public offering (IPO), potentially set for later this year, according to a Bloomberg report. The selected financial institutions include JPMorgan Chase & Co, Morgan Stanley, and UBS Group… Read More

January 12, 2025 @ 7:17 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The digital lending market in the Philippines, which includes registered non-bank digital lenders and digital banks, is projected to surpass $1 billion by the second half of 2025, according to a new analysis by Digido. The growth reflects strong consumer demand for online financial services… Read More

December 23, 2024 @ 10:09 pm By Michael Wong  |  

The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced extensive rules governing crypto-assets, covering disclosures, public offerings, trading, and marketing activities. The regulations aim to enhance investor protection and promote transparency in the burgeoning digital asset market. Under the new guidelines, crypto-asset offerings must submit… Read More

December 10, 2024 @ 7:17 pm By Michael Wong  |  

CIMB Bank Philippines will not seek a digital banking license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), opting instead to enhance its digital banking capabilities using its existing commercial banking license. The bank believes this approach provides sufficient flexibility to introduce a broader range of… Read More

November 23, 2024 @ 5:40 pm By Michael Wong  |  

Philippine fintech startup Salmon is aiming to secure a thrift bank license for the Rural Bank of Santa Rosa as part of its strategic expansion in the country, according to company officials. The move is intended to transform the rural bank into a retail-oriented thrift… Read More