This post list down digital banks as those institutions that function as digital banks even if they are not officially categorized as Digital Banks by the central bank.
In 2020, then Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe Medalla approved recognizing “digital bank” as a new bank category in the Philippines.
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What is a Digital Bank in the Philippines
As defined by the BSP, a digital bank largely offers financial products and services that are processed end-to-end through a digital platform and/or electronic channels with minimal to no reliance on physical touchpoints. It could:
- grant loans
- accept savings and time deposits
- accept foreign currency deposits
- invest in readily marketable bonds and other debt securities, commercial papers and accounts receivable
- act as a correspondent for other financial institutions
- act as collection agent;
- issue electronic money products
- issue credit cards
- buy and sell foreign exchange
- present, market, sell and service microinsurance products
According to him, as the central bank looks to reach 50% of retail transactions shifting to digital, digital banks will play a role in promoting market efficiencies and offering more opportunities to Filipinos in terms of financial services.
And after months of application and tons of preparation, the monetary agency has approved six digital banks, namely GOtyme, UnionDigital, Overseas Filipino Bank, Tonik Bank, UNObank, and Maya Bank.
Fast forward to October 2022, and the BSP gave the green light for these six digital banks to start their full operations.
However, digital banks have begun to be associated with financial institutions with high interest rates. As such, we include them in this article.
Advantages of Digital Banks Than Traditional Banks?
One of the advantages of having a digital bank account is the fact that digital banks offer higher interest rates compared to digital banks.
In an interview with popular Youtuber, food vlogger, and cook Ninong Ry, UnionDigial Bank Chief Executive Ubeh Henry Aguda shared that digital banks normally offer higher rates because they have lower operating costs than traditional banks.
Thus, instead of maintaining physical branches, paying rent, and hiring more staff, they will just lend the savings to their customers.
Moreover, he shared that their target market includes those who cannot go and transact with traditional banks during office hours, like market vendors and those who need to transact 24/7.
This led some individuals to store their funds in a digital bank rather than the traditional one. In fact, Statistica reported that a 2022 survey on consumer payment behavior showed that about 80% of Filipinos expressed their interest in trying digital banking, specially for paying bills and fund transfers.
The BSP also revealed that digital banks already reached 1.4 million transactions, amounting to ₱8.45 billion, for the first six months of 2022.
More than a year after the central bank’s green light, let us take a look at the interest rates of the six digital banks and other financial institutions that offer online banking services.
GOtyme
GOtyme is an affiliate of the Gokongwei Group and Singapore-based fintech firm Tyme Group.
UnionDigital
UnionDigital is the digital banking arm of the Union Bank of the Philippines.
| Interest Rate | 3% per annum for accounts with ₱5 million and below savings4% per annum for accounts with ₱5 million and above savings |
| Website | https://uniondigitalbank.io/en |
| Available on | Apple App Store, Huawei App Gallery, and Google Play Store |
| Contact Details | [email protected](+632)8555-5207 |
Overseas Filipino Bank
Overseas Filipino Bank is a digital-only subsidiary of Land Bank of the Philippines.
| Interest Rate | 1% per annum for accounts with ₱0.01 to ₱20,000.00 savings2% per annum for accounts with ₱20,000.01 to ₱100,000.00 savings3% per annum for accounts with ₱100,000.01 to ₱500,000.00 savings4% per annum for accounts with ₱500,000.01 and above savings |
| Website | https://ofbank.com.ph/ |
| Available on | Apple App Store and Google Play Store |
| Contact Details | (+632) 8-405-7000 [email protected] |
Tonik
Tonik is a Singapore-based neo bank.
UNObank
UNObank, a Singapore-based digital bank
| Interest Rate | 4.25% per annum in the UNOReady account with ₱5,0000 and above savings3.5% per annum in the UNOReady account with ₱5,0000 and below savingsUp to 6% interest in the UNOReady account (Promo only, until November 30, 2023)6.5% per annum in the UNOBoost account |
| Website | https://uno.bank/ |
| Available on | Apple App Store and Google Play Store |
| Contact Details | [email protected](02) 8811 8866+63 919 0599866 |
Maya Bank
Maya Bank is a digital bank powered by e-wallet giant Maya
| Interest Rate | 4% per annum in the Personal Goals account10% per annum in the Savings account2.5% per annum in the Business Deposit account
Up to 14% interest p.a. with Maya Savings (November 2023) |
| Website | https://www.mayabank.ph/ |
| Available on | Apple App Store, Huawei App Gallery, and Google Play Store |
| Contact Details | [email protected] |
CIMB’s GSave on GCash and Upsave
GSave is the in-app savings account on fintech app GCash, powered by CIMB Bank Philippines
| Interest Rate | 2.6% per annum in the GCash account
Earn up to 15% p.a. interest on your UpSave/GSave account—our highest interest rate ever! No cap. (Source) (November 2023) *Inclusive of base rate 2.5% p.a. interest for UpSave, 2.6% p.a. interest for GSave |
| Website | https://www.cimbbank.com.ph/en/digital-banking/our-products/gsave.html |
| Available on | Apple App Store, Huawei App Gallery, and Google Play Store |
| Contact Details | https://www.cimbbank.com.ph/en/help-and-support/get-help.html+632-8-924-2462 |
RCBC’s Diskartech
Diskartech is the multilingual financial inclusion mobile app of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC).
Netbank
Netbank is the mobile banking app of Netbank Inc., a Romblon-based rural bank.
Komo by Eastwest
Komo is the digital banking service by EastWest Bank.
SeaBank
SeaBank is the mobile banking application of rural bank SeaBank Philippines. It is accepted as a payment option in Shopee Pay feature.
| Interest Rate | 4.5% per annum |
| Website | https://www.seabank.ph/ |
| Available on | Apple App Store, Huawei App Gallery, and Google Play Store |
| Contact Details | (+632) 8891 7927 1800-1-110-2957 |
This article is published on BitPinas: List of Digital Banks With High Interest Rates in the Philippines
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