For most people, payment systems remain invisible until something goes wrong. Yet behind every digital transfer, securities settlement, and interbank payment sits a core infrastructure designed to move money safely and predictably. In the Philippines, that infrastructure takes the form of the Real-Time Gross Settlement system, widely known as PhilPaSS, which now operates at a scale reflecting the growing intensity of modern financial markets. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported that in 2025 alone, the Peso RTGS system handled PHP 601.32 trillion in total transaction value, a level equivalent to roughly 20 to 30 times the country’s gross domestic product.…

The Philippines has steadily grown into one of Southeast Asia’s more active crypto markets, shaped by a strong remittance culture and a population that has grown increasingly comfortable with digital finance. At the centre of it all sits the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which oversees cryptocurrency activity through its Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) framework. Anyone looking to buy Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency locally will need to go through platforms that fall under this framework. Transactions routed outside of it do not carry the same regulatory protection. Access to Bitcoin, at least in a regulated sense, runs through…

I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a banker. What I am, however, is an enthusiastic saver who enjoys exploring different savings options and finding the best ways to make my money work for me. Over the years, I’ve realised that choosing where to save is just as crucial as the act of saving itself. A good savings strategy isn’t just about setting money aside. For me at least, it’s about maximising returns while ensuring accessibility and security. For those of us who prioritise saving, the real question isn’t whether we should save, it’s how and where we should…

Like most fast-food chains in Southeast Asia, Jollibee in the Philippines is not something people plan for weeks in advance. It is the type of meal that almost everyone thinks of when they want something that is fast and (used to be) cheap. We can see that families stop by after school, workers grab a quick meal between shifts, and parents bring their children there without much thought. But the rising cost of food now seems to make this “tradition” fade away. Which is why the idea of paying for that meal later feels worth paying attention to, especially at…

There has been a way, or there was one, to run a nationwide digital bank in the Philippines without actually being one. But that will soon be over now as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is tweaking the rules that will directly affect how fintechs, digital lenders, and even some consumer platforms scale their banking services. The crux of it is a new threshold that sounds simple but carries weight, where it wants to make sure all of the rural banks that are using digital platforms will now need to ensure that no more than 30% of their customers are…

Discussions about the future of banking often revolve around digital channels, cloud migration and mobile apps. At Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Huawei placed the spotlight on what comes next. During its Digital Finance session, the company gathered financial institutions and technology partners to discuss how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape the foundations of modern banking. The event carried the theme “Powering Resilient Intelligence, Co-creating Finance Future” and served as the backdrop for Huawei to introduce upgrades to its Banking AI and Foundation Model Solutions aimed at supporting the next phase of industry transformation. Attention quickly turned to…

Financial institutions are rapidly turning to artificial intelligence to reshape how banking works. AIs are not only there to help banks detect fraud, in which 90% of banks are said to be doing so, but they are also used in lending, where machine learning models are said to have helped improve default prediction accuracy by 15% to 25%, all while reducing loan losses by as much as 30%. That could be why the total spending on AI within financial services has already surpassed US$35 billion, and is now on the course to reach US$97 billion by 2027, according to a…

When does a short-term microloan become a 277% annual interest story? That question surfaced this week after a report by Nikkei Asia examined the effective cost of in-app loans offered to motorcycle riders in the Philippines by Grab. The story calculated that some of these loans carry annual effective interest rates (EIR) of up to 277%, significantly higher than the advertised “simple interest monthly” rate shown inside the app. Following the report, Grab Financial Group Philippines issued an official statement to Fintech Alliance.PH, which was subsequently shared with us, outlining how its microloan product is structured and why it believes…

At the end of the day, every bank is in it to make a profit. Nobody signs up for the banking game planning to lose money. But if you’ve been watching the digital-first banking scene across Southeast Asia, you’ll know that turning a profit has been more of a dream than a reality for most. Just look at Malaysia, where recent months have been full of C-level exits in the digital banking space. Scroll through Fintech News Malaysia, and it’s obvious that a lot of these departures come down to one thing: The relentless pressure to actually make the business…

Saving money is not just about discipline. Ask anyone who has been saving for a while, and they will tell you that where you keep your cash matters just as much as how much you set aside. After all, most of us are not saving just for the sake of saving. We want our money to grow while it sits there. And, honestly, who does not like a bit of “free” money in the form of interest? For years, people have parked their savings in all sorts of places. Cash at home, informal savings groups, or traditional bank accounts that…

Digital wallet usage has become so deeply embedded in daily life that it’s hard to imagine a time without it. It is expected that in 2025, the Philippines will surpass 80 million registered e-wallet accounts, reflecting a threefold increase within five years. In fact, the Philippines came in second (87%), just behind Indonesia (92%), in e-wallet usage among Southeast Asian countries, respectively, using the payment method, especially QR payments and mobile payment apps, according to the 2024 Visa Consumer Payment Attitudes Study. Not only that, e-wallets were the most used online financial service among Filipinos that year, surpassing even digital…

The Philippines has always had a colourful fintech scene, but 2025 feels like one of those years where everything moves at once. New players jump in, regulators swing hard, global names finally arrive, and long-time concerns suddenly turn into national debates. Before we begin, let me tell you that this list is not in any particular order. Now, let’s walk through the biggest stories that shaped the year so far, and how they all fit together in the wider story of money, technology, habits, and a country that’s still figuring out what digital finance should look like. Manny Pacquiao Steps…

Banks nowadays often talk about AI ever since it became this shiny new thing a few years back, but in a closed-door room in Manila, the conversation took a direction that many in the industry rarely voice out loud. Something that we have not heard about. Everyone in that room agreed that AI has become unavoidable, deservingly so, right? Well, not quite. Inside that room, these CxOs also agree that almost every banker admitted that most of what they are doing today barely scratches the surface. The truth is that banks might be embracing AI, but they are not dreaming…

Over the weekend, reports spread across social media claiming that a dark web seller was offering millions of GCash user records, including eKYC information and linked bank accounts. But the country’s arguably largest mobile wallet company moved quickly to respond, saying that its systems remain secure and that no breach had taken place. On October 25, a dark web user under the handle “Oversleep8351” posted what was described as a massive cache of data allegedly belonging to G-Xchange, Inc., the operator of GCash. The listing claimed to contain information from both merchant and basic accounts, covering transactions and registrations from…

I remembered my first time when I wrote about the online gambling problem that was happening in the Philippines. Financial platforms like GCash and Maya were not-so-quietly helping people to gamble, just like how they were helping ordinary Filipinos to pay bills or send money. Tucked between savings features and remittance tools, there sat icons for casinos, bingo halls and betting arenas. It was all legal at that time, but the line between financial inclusion and financial temptation was a bit blurry. To some, it was fintech convenience at its finest. To others, it was a silent trap. And as…

“A business has no right to deny consumers the use of cash.” I saw this LinkedIn post from Russel Stanley Geronimo, a lawyer and CEO of Geronimo Law, which struck a chord in my chest. Roughly 6 months ago, I was in the midst of pouring my heart out, writing about how there were some stores in Malaysia refusing to accept cash altogether in favour of e-wallets and cards. No, I am not going against digital payments or just having pure hatred towards the cashless society. What irks me and boils my blood is the outright denial in accepting cash…

Every industry has its share of award shows, and fintech is no different. But every so often, one comes along that manages to feel grounded and relevant. It doesn’t chase headlines or reward the loudest voice in the room. Instead, it puts the spotlight on the people building quietly, often without the attention they deserve. That was the premise behind the Fintech Frontiers 50 Awards, held on 5 August 2025 at The Estate on Federal Hill in Kuala Lumpur. Timed to coincide with Malaysia’s MyFintech Week, the event drew founders, regulators, investors, and ecosystem builders from across the region. This…

Crypto platforms in the Philippines just got a major regulatory shake-up.  On May 30, the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a new set of rules designed to bring structure, transparency, and accountability to how crypto platforms or also known as crypto-asset service providers (CASPs), operate in the country. These are the SEC Rules on Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASP Rules) and the Operations of Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASP Guidelines). The new regulations are more than just paperwork as they aim to strike a balance between promoting innovation and making sure the market stays fair, safe, and trustworthy for everyone…

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) just gave banks the power to freeze suspicious funds for up to 30 days, with no court order needed. On paper, it sounds like a practical move to keep scammers from hopping between accounts or laundering money through mule networks. But in reality? It also raises uneasy questions about financial autonomy, due process, and whether banks are now part-time police officers. This authority comes via BSP Circular No. 1215, which implements key parts of the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA). Signed into law in 2024, AFASA targets all the usual suspects, such as money…

You open your phone to pay a bill. A few taps and scrolls later, and suddenly your screen flashes a set of cards. Blackjack. Poker. Slot machines. You took your glasses off, rubbed your eyes and put them back on, feeling unsure, because if you remember correctly, you’re on the GCash app. Or the Maya App. Or both. Right there, in the same place you track your savings or send money to family, is an entire gambling ecosystem placed awkwardly at your fingertips. And it gives some mixed feelings. Well, to some, it’s the kind of seamless experience that fintech…