Union Bank of the Philippines Looks to Becomes Nation’s First to Offer Crypto Services

bic artwork history crypto

Union Bank of the Philippines plans to become the first in the country to offer trading and custodial services for cryptocurrencies.

Sponsored
Sponsored

The custodial services for digital assets will also cover tokenized bonds, according to Cathy Casas, head of the bank’s blockchain and application programming interface group. Switzerland’s Metaco will provide the system for Union Bank to manage its digital asset operations. The bank was also the first to launch its own stablecoin in 2019, which helped facilitate local remittance payments. Late last year, Commonwealth Bank became the first in Australia to offer crypto trading and custody. 

Casas believes the average Filipino investor likely holds around 1-2% of their personal assets in cryptocurrency. Because many crypto investors are young people, some of whom earn tokens from play-to-earn virtual games, she expects that figure to rise to 3-5% within five years assuming market stability. “It’s a way to future-proof our banking business,” Casas said

Sponsored
Sponsored

She estimates that roughly 5% of the local population have dabbled in cryptocurrencies, which is in line with the global average according to data from Binance. “We are making efforts to educate our clients also via social media, making sure that they are safe,” Casas added.

Crypto critics

However, cryptocurrencies have not been without their critics in the South Asian nation.

Central bank Governor Benjamin Diokno cautioned against cryptocurrencies. Since he believes they are “very vulnerable” to illicit activities, such as money laundering and terrorist financing, he warns that they could ultimately “pose a danger to the financial system.” 

As cryptocurrencies surge in popularity around the world, other authorities in the region are taking steps to assert some control. Earlier this week, the Monetary Authority of Singapore issued guidelines banning the promotion of cryptocurrencies to the general public. The guidelines also led to the closure of cryptocurrency ATMs throughout the country.

What do you think about this subject? Write to us and tell us!

Disclaimer

All the information contained on our website is published in good faith and for general information purposes only. Any action the reader takes upon the information found on our website is strictly at their own risk.

Share Article

Nick is a data scientist who teaches economics and communication in Budapest, Hungary, where he received a BA in Political Science and Economics and an MSc in Business Analytics from CEU. He has been writing about cryptocurrency and blockchain technology since 2018, and is intrigued by its potential economic and political usage. He can best be described as an optimistic center-left skeptic.

Follow Author