PH, Australian fintech groups eye deeper regional cooperation
Leaders from the Philippine and Australian fintech sectors met during the first Philippine Tech Mission to Australia to explore opportunities for deeper collaboration in digital finance, innovation, and cross-border financial services.
Together with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan, FinTech Alliance.PH Founding Chairman and RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer Lito Villanueva, FinTech Australia Chief Executive Officer Rehan Mark D’Almeida, and GXI (GCash EMI) President and Chief Executive Officer Oscar Ren-ren Reyes, key stakeholders from the Philippine and Australian fintech ecosystems explored areas for collaboration aimed at advancing digital finance and enabling greater cross-border financial connectivity.
Facilitated by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), the discussions focused on the evolving fintech landscape, regulatory developments, and opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the Philippines and Australia in advancing more inclusive, secure, and interoperable financial systems.
The exchange also explored potential cross-border initiatives that could support the Philippines’ financial inclusion agenda and accelerate digital finance adoption among underserved communities.
Australia and the Philippines continue to deepen engagement in digital innovation as both countries seek to strengthen financial connectivity, foster innovation-led growth, and expand access to financial services through technology.
Villanueva said the engagement reflects the growing importance of international cooperation in addressing common challenges and opportunities in the financial sector.
“We thank Austrade and FinTech Australia for facilitating meaningful exchanges between our two fintech ecosystems. These discussions provide valuable insights into how innovation, regulation, and collaboration can work together to expand financial inclusion and strengthen digital finance,” Villanueva said.
He added that continued engagement between industry leaders, regulators, and technology innovators would help accelerate the development of more accessible and resilient financial systems across the Asia-Pacific region.
“By learning from each other’s experiences and sharing best practices, we can collectively build more inclusive and future-ready financial ecosystems that benefit consumers, businesses, and communities across the region,” he added.
The discussions come ahead of the ASEAN (Manila) Tech Summit 2026, which will be held in Manila on July 28 to 29 and is expected to convene policymakers, regulators, technology leaders, investors, and innovators from across the region to advance dialogue on digital transformation and emerging technologies.
