5 Top FinTechs in the Philippines to watch out for in 2021

By Leandra Monteiro

The covid-19 pandemic has further boosted the adoption of digital financial services in the Philippines. Also, a youthful, urbanised population partnered with an increased mobile usage has driven the digital transformation of the Philippine financial sector.

According to Startup Genome’s Global Startup Ecosystem Report, FinTech companies in Manila compose 15% of the start-ups and market is expected to grow from about US$5.7 billion in 2018 to US$10.5 billion by 2022.

Manila having a robust English-speaking population and an a more western inclined culture is a natural fit for the growth of FinTech. According to the country’s Department of Trade and Industry, there are about 136 FinTech companies registered in the country. With the new normal, more opportunities will surely come for the FinTech industry. Here are 5 FinTech companies to look out for in the Philippines.

JustPayto: JustPayto is a licensed money transfer service provider for both individuals and businesses. Founded in 2015, the company is developing a frictionless ecosystem with financial institutions and e-wallets in order to offer convenient inter-bank, inter-institution, inter-platform and inter-currency money transfers.

JustPayto aims to support several payment options, without the hassle of having to work with multiple banks or use complicated apps. The app simplifies the ability to use multiple disbursement options such as credit/debit cards, bank fund transfers, online banking, over-the-country (OTC), e-wallet and cryptocurrencies.

MarCoPay: MarCoPay was established in mid-2019 and stands for ‘Maritime Community Pay.’ The company offers an electronic money platform designed keeping in mind mariners working outside Japan. The app utilises QR codes that can be used for completing pre-boarding procedures, receiving and converting salaries into digital currency. Users can also spend this e-money for onboard purchases.

The company has secured features and functions which aims to promote the innovation of onboard money transactions with digital solutions and improvement of quality of life of seafarers and their families.

PayMongo: PayMongo offers an online payments API for firms in the Philippines. This can be integrated into websites and apps, allowing owners to accept payments from bank cards and digital wallets like GrabPay and GCash thus making it easier to run an online business.

The company’s combination of advanced fraud detection tools and PCI-certified systems ensure that the transactions remain compliant with regulations and are protected from any fraudulent transactions.

Launched in 2019, PayMongo was the first Filipino FinTech startup to take part in Y Combinator’s accelerator program. It raised a US$12 million Series A Funding in September 2020.

SeekCap: Funding and managing cash flow are an essential part of all commercial businesses. However, accessing loans or short-term financing arrangements can be quite difficult for SMEs. Traditional banking in the country has strict eligibility procedures in place making it quite a challenge for some businesses to find the funding they require.

This platform aims at bridging the gap between banks and SMEs. SeekCap is affiliated with one of Philippines biggest banks, UnionBank. The platform helps take the hassle and stress out of finding a loan suitable to help businesses thrive or expand.

TONIK: Tonik is the Philippines’ first neobank. With a good amount of the population of the Philippines unbanked, TONIK foresees an untapped opportunity to change this and bring the country into the digital banking world.

TONIK aims to tackle the issues of traditional banking by helping people have quick, easy access to their money and short-term loans all through a simple app. The company also recently announced a new partnership agreement with Mastercard.

The platform is a consumer financial technology company that provides retail financial products, including deposits, loans, current accounts, payments, and cards on a highly secure digital banking platform.

ALSO, READ: Cool FinTech Report