MANILA, Philippines — Southeast Asia has an opportunity to shape the next generation of global finance, but only if the region moves decisively on artificial intelligence, digital assets, and cybersecurity, according to FinTech Alliance PH Founding Chairman and RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer Lito Villanueva.
Opening the ASEAN Tech Summit 2026 in Manila, Villanueva said ASEAN is no longer merely participating in the global digital economy but is increasingly defining its direction.
“Southeast Asia is becoming the engine of the global digital economy. The blueprint for the next decade is being drawn today, and ASEAN must help write it,” he said.
Villanueva identified three technologies that will fundamentally reshape financial services: agentic AI, digital assets, and cybersecurity.
He said AI agents will increasingly execute financial transactions autonomously, while tokenization and stablecoins are poised to transform cross-border payments and remittances. At the same time, he stressed that cybersecurity must evolve alongside these innovations as financial crime grows more sophisticated across the region. He also called for ASEAN to play a more active role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence, noting that much of today’s AI infrastructure is being developed outside the region.
To strengthen regional resilience, Villanueva proposed greater collaboration through a private sector-led ASEAN Resiliency Wealth Fund to accelerate strategic investments, alongside a regional Network Anti-Scam Hub to enhance intelligence sharing and combat cross-border financial crime.
The summit also announced a long-term collaboration between the Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN) and the Philippines focused on advancing inclusive financial innovation, improving financial health, and developing AI-ready talent. Key initiatives include bringing GFTN’s Select Series to Manila, launching the ASEAN Financial Health Challenge 2026 with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and pursuing a five-year AI Horizon Philippines Programme to develop the country’s AI and digital finance workforce.
The 2026 Philippine FinTech Report was likewise launched during the summit, providing the latest assessment of the country’s digital finance ecosystem.
Hosted during the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship, the ASEAN Tech Summit 2026 convenes policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, fintech companies, and technology leaders to discuss the future of AI, digital assets, cybersecurity, open finance, and cross-border payments across Southeast Asia.
About FinTech Alliance PH
FinTech Alliance PH, established in 2017, is the country’s premier and largest organization of fintech companies and digital financial service providers. With over 170 corporate members, it represents more than 95% of digital transaction volume and serves over 110 million digital accounts of Filipinos. It is also the first in Asia to institutionalize an industry-led Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics and continues to lead initiatives on cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and consumer education.
