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E-wallet boom boosts financial inclusion in first quarter
The Philippine Star
|May 24, 2026
Filipino adults with formal financial accounts rose to 58 percent in the first quarter, driven by the rapid adoption of e-wallets, according to a survey commissioned by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
However, many Filipinos remain excluded from the financial system due to “lack of money, unemployment and limited knowledge of how to open an account,” the survey found.
The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that account ownership among adults aged 18 and above climbed to 58 percent in the first quarter from 48 percent in the same period in 2025.
The latest figure was also higher than the 51 percent recorded for the same age group in the 2025 BSP Consumer Finance and Inclusion Survey.
This story is from the May 24, 2026 edition of The Philippine Star.
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