Weekly Brief

1. 1

   Maya targets 2027 IPO; Pangilinan prefers Philippine listing

   Maya is now aiming for an initial public offering in 2027, and chair Manuel Pangilinan said he prefers a Philippine listing while staying open to Nasdaq if other shareholders want it. The timetable moved from an earlier 2026 plan.

   Maya is studying the PSE debut of GCash operator Mynt. The listing would raise fresh capital and give existing investors an exit.

   2 sources: BusinessWorld, Fintech News Philippines

2. 2

   UnionBank to absorb UnionDigital and UBX as job cuts begin

   UnionBank plans to fold its digital bank, UnionDigital Bank, and fintech unit UBX into the parent lender, pending approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Job cuts at both units have already begun, though the bank did not say how many staff are affected.

   UnionDigital, one of the original six licensed digital banks, began operating in 2022. Its customers can keep using their accounts and app for now.

   2 sources: Fintech News Philippines, InsiderPH

3. 3

   BPI and Metrobank reported interested in buying CIMB Bank Philippines

   BPI and Metrobank are among local lenders that have shown interest in buying CIMB Bank Philippines, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg. Binding bids are reportedly due before the end of the month, and a deal could value the business at up to US$200 million.

   Nothing is certain, and BPI declined to comment. CIMB entered the Philippines in 2018.

   3 sources: Bloomberg, BusinessWorld, Fintech News Philippines

4. 4

   Four more Philippine banks to support Apple Pay around November

   Four more Philippine banks are expected to support Apple Pay around November, taking the total to eight, Mastercard Philippines country manager Jason Crasto said. He did not name them. Another group is expected in the first quarter of 2027. Apple Pay launched in August with Chinabank, GoTyme Bank, Metrobank and UnionBank. Crasto did not share transaction figures, saying it is still too early to gauge adoption.

   3 sources: BusinessWorld, Fintech News Philippines, Technobaboy

5. 5

   Tighter bank credit pushes young Filipinos toward BNPL and microloans

   Stricter bank approval standards are pushing younger Filipinos toward buy-now-pay-later services and microloans, according to comparison platform MoneyHero. It said banks have tightened underwriting and collections because inflation is raising repayment concerns. Fintech platforms use alternative data to reach underserved customers. Smaller ticket sizes may support near-term BNPL repayments, though repeat usage and persistent inflation could eventually test underwriting quality.

   2 sources: BusinessWorld, Philstar

Summaries are written by AI from the linked sources.