Showing posts with label #UnionBankOfThePhilippines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #UnionBankOfThePhilippines. Show all posts

Friday, February 11, 2022

UBX revenues balloon 5x in 2021, aims to ride growth momentum this year

“The year 2021 was a real inflection point for us – it is when we achieved traction. Our goal is to continue to ride on this growth momentum in 2022 through constant innovation and the development of solutions that will further democratize access to financial services. We're connecting people to the financial systems of the country, we're doing it in a way that's more affordable and providing more opportunity and access to everybody, and we believe that improves lives. We believe in a future where financial services are embedded into the everyday experiences and activities that matter to businesses and people. We will continue to introduce more digital financial solutions this year to complement and support the open finance policy framework of the central bank.” ~John Januszczak, UBX President and CEO
UBX Logo


With the demand for digital financial solutions growing at rapid paces due to the pandemic, UBX, the leading open finance platform in the Philippines, recorded remarkable growth in 2021 with revenues ballooning by 5x, a momentum that the fintech innovator aims to ride on in 2022. UBX served over 200,000 business to business customers, partnered with more than 2,000 independent banking agents and 250 financial institutions, and recorded an annual gross transaction value of P20 billion.

Backed by Asia’s top digital bank UnionBank of the Philippines, UBX is the leading open finance platform in the country, enabling interoperability among different financial institutions by making data more accessible and portable. 

UBX offers a spectrum of financial services, providing technology that allows them to be embedded into digital platforms and business ecosystems. 

Over the last three years, UBX invested in building and developing various financial services that create more value for both consumers and businesses. Among its solutions are i2i, SeekCap, Bux, and Sentro. 

A banking-as-a-service solution, i2i brings financial services to underserved communities through its network of financial services providers. 

SeekCap, meanwhile, is the Philippines’ first same-day approval, digital lending marketplace developed for micro, small, medium sized enterprises who need access to credit to run and scale their businesses. 

Bux, on the other hand, is an end-to-end payment gateway for businesses of all sizes. It allows businesses to accept payments from their customers through over 50,000+ of over-the-counter locations, including 7-Eleven and LBC, debit and credit card payments as well as wallet payments via GrabPay and GCash. 

UBX is committed to continue developing new financial solutions this year, as it sees a huge opportunity in the industry with the rollout of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) policy framework for open finance. 

For more information about the company and this article, please visit www.ubx.ph. For inquiries, email us at hello@ubx.ph.











About UBX
UBX is the Philippines’ leading open finance platform, a fintech spun out of UnionBank of the Philippines. UBX is predicated on a future where financial services are invisible: seamlessly embedded into the experiences and activities that truly matter to businesses and people. 

Friday, December 17, 2021

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year – Ender! Achievements, and Future Projects!

"The pandemic created this shift to digital, which we now refer to as the “new digital normal”. We changed the way we live, the way we travel, the way we interact with one another, and basically we've changed forever in terms of how we transact in the financial sector. But even before the pandemic, UnionBank already had this forward-looking view that digital is the way for us to move forward, and when the pandemic hit, not only did we survive, but I'm happy to say that the Bank actually thrived," ~Henry Aguda, UnionBank Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, and Chief Transformation Officer
UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!


In celebration of its numerous accomplishments and milestones this past year, and to give a small preview of what its customers can expect in 2022, Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) held another iteration of its long-running virtual media roundtable series E-TalkTales last December 15. In celebration of its numerous accomplishments and milestones this past year, and to give a small preview of what its customers can expect in 2022.


UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

Arvie de Vera, Co-Founder and CEO of UnionBank's digital-native banking arm UnionDigital, and Henry Aguda, UnionBank Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, and Chief Transformation Officer


During the virtual event, UnionBank Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, and Chief Transformation Officer Henry Aguda talked about some of the Bank's achievements for the year, while the Co-Founder and CEO of UnionBank's digital-native banking arm UnionDigital, Arvie de Vera, talked about the role that the newly formed digital bank will play in UnionBank's digital transformation journey going forward.


Henry Aguda, UnionBank Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Operations Officer, and Chief Transformation Officer.


Aguda began the discussion by recounting how UnionBank's digital transformation journey has enabled it to brave 2020 and the equally challenging 2021. 

Aguda, then highlighted the top 10 most notable achievements of UnionBank in 2021. These include being the only publicly listed Philippine bank to be granted a license to operate a digital-native bank; the successful groundbreaking of the UnionBank Innovation Campus, the country's first-ever learning institution focused on digital innovation; and having 21 patents for its innovative offers already approved and 18 more on the way. 


UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!


Other notable achievements include the integration of Instapay 2.0 into its digital banking platform; the successful launch of the UnionBank SME Banking App; the launch of wealth management educational campaigns including the NextGen Academy; significant user growths for UBX’s platforms SeekCap, Bux, and Sentro; and the significant increase in its customer base to almost 10 million to date, from just nearly 7 million as of end-2020.

Meanwhile, de Vera provided a quick introduction to UnionDigital. UnionDigital is one of only six financial institutions in the Philippines that have officially been granted digital banking licenses by the Bangko Central ng Pilipinas to date. 


Arvie de Vera, Co-Founder and CEO of UnionBank's digital-native banking arm UnionDigital

"While UnionDigital aims to empower the country's digital economy, we also aim to elevate it by bringing trust and governance into the space. We embrace innovation like a fintech, but offer all the powers, experience, and track record of a fully regulated bank. At the heart of our work will always be the desire to provide our customers with what they want and what they need, while ensuring that they have what they need in terms of security, compliance with regulation, and proper governance.” ~Arvie de Vera, Co-Founder and CEO of UnionBank's digital-native banking arm UnionDigital

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!


As UnionBank's digital banking arm, UnionDigital will focus on delivering banking and financial services to underserved sectors which the parent bank is not able to optimally cater to. 


UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!


In terms of what customers can expect from the Bank and its subsidiaries in 2022, some of the things that Aguda and de Vera gave a sneak preview of were the Bank's possible foray into non-fungible tokens (NFTs), several new solutions aimed at helping workers in the thriving gig economy through EON, and participating in the growing interest and opportunities relating to the metaverse, just to name a few. 


UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!

"UnionBank’s goal is not just to help people survive, but to actually enable them to thrive in this new environment through the latest financial technologies; staying true to our commitment to “Tech-up Pilipinas! I hope you are as eager as I am to welcome 2022. What I can promise you is that what you heard today is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot more exciting news you can look forward to from UnionBank." ~Albert Cuadrante, UnionBank Chief Marketing Officer

Albert Cuadrante, UnionBank Chief Marketing Officer

 
UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) 13th E-Talk Tales & 2021 Year!


UnionBank Chief Marketing Officer Albert Cuadrante capped off the event with a promise that the Bank will continue to do even better in 2022 in terms of delivering great customer experience across channels and platforms. 

Friday, November 19, 2021

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

"UPAY for MSMEs is a payment gateway that is embedded in our MSME Business Banking App. Businesses of all sizes and types now have the power to generate payment links, request payments, send it to their customers and provide multiple payment options, all these reconciled and credited to a single UnionBank account." ~Jaypee Soliman, UnionBank Vice President and MSME Segment Head
Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market


Union Bank of the Philippines 12th E-Media TalkTales to how the UnionBank SME Business Banking helps MSMEs jumpstart their business through UPAY, their all in one fully integrated payment acceptance hub. Union Bank of the Philippines invites you to its 12th E-Media TalkTales to discuss how the UnionBank SME Business Banking helps MSMEs jumpstart their business through UPAY, their all in one fully integrated payment acceptance hub.

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market


Filipinos are now utilizing digital payments more than ever. Last month, the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas reported that digital payments made up 20.1 percent of all transactions in 2020, more than double the figure from two years ago of 10 percent. This strong momentum is creating opportunities particularly for enterprising Filipinos who engage in e-commerce.

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market


To help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country capitalize on this growing trend, Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), the region’s digital trailblazer and the country’s foremost bank for MSMEs, has launched a groundbreaking feature that will make e-payments easier and secure not only for customers but also for MSMEs—the new UPAY for MSME.

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market


This was unveiled at the Bank's 12th E-TalkTales media event, wherein UnionBank Vice President and MSME Segment Head Jaypee Soliman, and UnionBank Merchant Acquiring and Payment Gateway Head Gerry Austria led discussions on the critical role of digitizing payments in the country's fast evolving market.

Soliman began the discussions by talking about the state of digital payments in the country, citing the significant growth in the number of Filipinos who utilize these payment solutions. This is an indication that Filipinos are now more open to the idea of becoming a cash-lite society.

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market

“This shows how the consumers are now transacting digitally. They are ready. They are there. The number of Filipinos having e-wallets and bank accounts continue to grow. But the question is, are the MSMEs ready to accept digital payments?"

This is where UPAY comes in. UPAY is a groundbreaking digital payments solution designed to make acceptance of multiple payment options accessible to MSMEs. It offers a fully integrated, single platform payment collection complete with other features that can make inbound payments easier for entrepreneurs, including the option to generate payment links with multiple collection channels, and the option to generate InstaPay QRPH for digital and physical channels.

Union Bank of the Philippines 12th TalkTales: Critical Role of DigitizingPayments in Fast Evolving Market


What makes UPAY convenient for accepting payments is that customers can choose their preferred payment channel either via Unionbank Online, InstaPay, Other Digital Wallets, Credit/Debit Cards and even over-the-counter through UnionBank’s expansive network of partner channels nationwide.

"When we conceptualized UPAY for MSMEs, we wanted to do away with all the different hassles that the merchant is experiencing to set up his payments, one of which is having to connect to a point-of-sale system, having to have different devices, having to have to download different apps. Second, it's the efficiency in doing business. You don't need to be in your physical store to actually have a customer pay you. You can actually be vacationing somewhere else and someone wants to buy a product which they saw through your post on Instagram or Facebook. You can actually just create a payment link and send it to that customer, so it's very convenient for both the merchant and the customer." ~Gerry Austria, UnionBank Merchant Acquiring and Payment Gateway Head 

Through the new feature, UnionBank wants to level the playing field for MSMEs by making the feature accessible to them, which was previously only available to the bigger merchants as part of enterprise platforms that are too technologically demanding and expensive for smaller players.

For more information about the company and this article, please visit

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

“Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. With this partnership with KBP, we are able to keep the public informed and educated on the latest trends and scenarios on cybercrime, considering the growing threats of cybercriminals. They have clearly stepped up their game as they try to take advantage of the rapid online migration of essential activities amid COVID-19 pandemic. The Philippines is currently a cybercrime hotspot, underscoring the need to increase awareness and vigilance against the increasing prevalence of cybercrime in the country. The BAP, together with its partners, will work towards equipping Filipinos with the necessary information and tools they need to stop cybercriminals from harming the public and stealing their hard-earned money~Wick Veloso, BAP President
UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market


Union Bank of the Philippines 12th E-Media TalkTales to how the UnionBank SME Business Banking helps MSMEs jumpstart their business through UPAY, their all in one fully integrated payment acceptance hub. The Bankers Association of the Philippines (“BAP”) launched its Anti-Scam Campaign, a wide-ranging information campaign undertaken with various partners that aims to promote cybersecurity, cybersafety, and awareness among the Filipino banking public.


Key officials of the BAP and KBP show the heart symbol, which also appears as an "X", to demonstrate their commitment to help protect consumers against cyber fraud through the CybersecurityX program. 

As such, the BAP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) to help disseminate information on cybersecurity and data protection. A MOU signing with the Department of Justice (DOJ) will also take place, with the partnership aiming to train cybercrime enforcers and prosecutors in holding cybercriminals accountable for their actions.
From left, 1st row: BAP Cybersecurity Committee Vice Chair Ramon L. Jocson, BAP President Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso, and BAP Cybersecurity Committee Chair Edwin R. Bautista; 2nd row, BAP Executive Director Benjamin P. Castillo, KBP Chairman Ruperto “Jun” S. Nicdao, Jr., and KBP EVP Noel C. Galvez; 3rd row, KBP President Herman Z. Basbaño


UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

“We believe that this collaboration project will result in a more intensive consumer awareness and education as a strong first line of defense against cyber threats.” ~Jun Nicdao, KBP Chairman
Study shows cashless habits are forming across the globe with 42 percent of Filipino  respondents saying they prefer paying with cashless methods. The launch is in line with the commemoration of the International Fraud Awareness Week, which highlights the importance of cybersecurity and cyber education in the lives of citizens throughout the world.

The BAP is partnering with various stakeholders, such as social media influencers, government agencies, and the media, in its wide-ranging efforts to promote cybersecurity awareness throughout the Philippines.


UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market

UnionBank Critical Role of Digitizing Payments in Fast Evolving Market


The Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines (BMAP) will also be the official partner in unifying the execution of the Anti-Scam campaign on social media by BAP’s member-banks.

In addition to that, the BAP launched the BAP #Cybersafe Facebook page on November 14. This aims to raise awareness on cybersecurity by urging the public to stay vigilant against various types of cyberattacks.