RCBC's 7th Straight Euromoney Win Highlights Digital Banking's Impact on Financial Inclusion

Digital banking has entered a new phase. Technology remains essential, but leadership belongs to institutions that use innovation to solve real-world problems and deliver meaningful value to customers. This year's Euromoney Awards for Excellence reflects that shift, recognizing institutions that combine technology with tangible customer impact. It is a broader view of digital leadership that values innovation for the difference it makes, not simply the technology behind it. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) has once again secured Euromoney's Best Bank for Digital award for the seventh consecutive year, extending the longest winning streak of its kind by any Philippine bank and making RCBC the first bank in Asia to achieve the milestone. More than focusing on launching digital features, RCBC's winning strategy centered on a different ambition: designing a banking ecosystem that supports people throughout different stages of their financial lives, from opening a first savings account and receiving government benefits, to paying for everyday purchases and transportation with a simple tap, running a small business in a remote community, earning income from overseas clients, and building long-term financial security. "Technology should never become the destination. It is simply the bridge. The real measure of innovation is whether it helps people build better financial lives and achieve greater financial security," said RCBC President and CEO Reggie Cariaso. In many ways, RCBC's latest Euromoney victory reflects a broader shift across the global banking industry. As digital adoption becomes mainstream, the competitive advantage is no longer determined by who builds the next feature first. Leadership now belongs to institutions that make banking more relevant and accessible in everyday life. That ecosystem strategy came to life through three complementary digital platforms, each designed to address different financial needs while working together to create a more connected banking experience. For families living in rural and geographically isolated communities, RCBC ATM Go reimagined banking by transforming trusted neighborhood merchants into banking access points. Instead of requiring people to travel long distances to reach a branch, essential financial services became available within their own communities, bringing convenience to consumers while creating new livelihood opportunities for local entrepreneurs. Today, ATM Go reaches all 82 Philippine provinces. For millions of Filipino workers entering the formal financial system, RCBC DiskarTech demonstrated that financial inclusion extends beyond opening an account. Through the MySSS Card powered by RCBC DiskarTech, developed with the Social Security System (SSS), members gained a single solution that combines government identification, savings, digital payments, and banking services, simplifying access to benefits while introducing many users to formal banking for the first time. Meanwhile, for the country's growing community of freelancers, digital professionals, and globally mobile Filipinos, RCBC Pulz addressed an important challenge in today's borderless economy. By launching the Philippines' first US Virtual Account for customers without a US address, the bank enabled Filipinos working with international clients to receive payments more efficiently while keeping their financial activities connected to the Philippine banking system. Taken together, these initiatives represent a broader evolution in digital banking, from offering digital channels to building connected financial ecosystems that remove barriers, create opportunities, and accompany customers through every stage of their financial journey. The recognition also comes as the Philippines continues to strengthen its position as one of Asia's fastest-growing digital finance markets. While much of the industry's early focus centered on onboarding customers into formal banking, the next phase is about helping those customers participate more meaningfully in the digital economy through payments, credit, investments, cross-border banking, and wealth creation. For RCBC, that philosophy has remained consistent throughout its seven-year Euromoney journey. "When we began our digital transformation years ago, we weren't simply building better banking applications," said RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer Lito Villanueva. "We were building a banking ecosystem that grows with people's ambitions. As economies become more connected, our responsibility as a bank is to help Filipinos participate confidently, not only within the Philippines, but anywhere opportunities exist." Seven consecutive Euromoney awards ultimately recognize sustained innovation. Technology will continue to evolve, but lasting impact comes from building connected financial ecosystems that solve real-world problems, remove barriers, and create opportunities. For RCBC, digital leadership is not defined by the technology it builds, but by the people it empowers.