Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, has collaborated with UBX, the fintech venture studio and fund spun out of UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank), to accelerate financial inclusion in the country by harnessing digital technologies.

Xpanse, UBX’s new open finance platform, will leverage Alibaba Cloud’s eKYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) solution provided by Zoloz, a strategic partner of Alibaba Cloud, to help financial institutions in the Philippines boost their business efficiency and reinforce system security through digitalizing the identity verification process.

“Open Finance is significantly changing the way financial institutions interact with each other and their customers,” said John Januszczak, president and CEO of UBX. “Leveraging Alibaba Cloud’s advanced e-wallet technologies, UBX will enable Philippine financial institutions to reach more of the country’s unbanked and build trust remotely.”

Alibaba Cloud report shows more PH businesses turn to cloud for growth
UnionBank’s UBX continues to help small businesses with free digital platform

Zoloz’s RealID eKYC solution streamlines the whole customer authentication process for financial institutions, eliminates paper-based procedures, and reduces the cost and time spent on manual verification, resulting in faster onboarding and an enhanced customer experience.

AI

“Alibaba Cloud shares UBX’s mission of enabling a financially inclusive society through accessible financial services, especially in the new normal,” said Allen Guo, country manager for the Philippines, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. “We believe our proven technologies in the e-wallet industry could assist UBX in promoting financial inclusion and equipping financial institutions in the Philippines with advanced solutions that operate seamlessly and reliably for end-users,”

The solution also helps financial institutions adhere to regulatory compliance more easily, thanks to its rich AI model and comprehensive risk management engine that can guarantee high accuracy and reduce identity fraud.

The FinTech industry in the Philippines has been growing steadily in recent years, with advancements in digitalization and the availability of smart devices leading development. In June 2021, Bangko Sentral Pilipinas (BSP) approved the new guidelines for the Open Finance Framework, allowing “consent-driven data portability, interoperability, and collaborative partnerships among financial institutions and third-party providers (TPPs).”