From ride-hailing company Grab to gaming and e-commerce juggernaut Sea, Southeast Asia’s tech companies have rushed to apply for digital banking licences in Singapore Singapore The Ken Fool’s gold? Singapore’s digital banking licence rush Read more . But it’s in the Philippines, sometimes overlooked by startups and investors, where the region’s first neobank has set up shop.

Tonik will go live in the Philippines before October, offering retail banking services via a mobile app.

AUTHOR

Jum Balea

Jum is a Manila-based reporter for The Ken, where she covers startups and business across Southeast Asia, with a focus on the Philippines. She previously was editor for Tech In Asia, and business editor for Philippine media companies Rappler and ABS-CBN.

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