Utilizing Social Networking and Telecommunications Data for Financial Accessibility in the Philippines via AI Technology
In the heart of Southeast Asia, Fintech AI company Trusting Social is making waves in the Philippines by addressing a long-standing issue in traditional finance: financial inclusion.
Founded by Nguyen Nguyen, Trusting Social's mission is to help lenders offer loans to underserved individuals who lack a formal banking history, a problem particularly prevalent in remote provinces. This mission is crucial, as the World Bank's 2025 Global Findex reported that only 50.2% of Filipino adults had a financial account in 2024.
Trusting Social's innovative platform enables over a million borrowers monthly, facilitating around USD $500 million in unsecured loans. The company achieves this by providing an alternative to traditional scoring, using advanced data science to analyze masked, anonymized, and aggregated telco data to assess an individual's creditworthiness.
Johnny Escaler, CEO of Trusting Social Philippines, shares Nguyen's belief that this approach can help bridge the financial inclusion divide. He explains that the traditional banking system is inherently blind to hundreds of millions of deserving individuals lacking financial history.
To make a significant impact, Trusting Social partners with over 50 financial institutions in the Philippines, including major commercial banks and start-up lenders. This collaboration allows the company to reach a wider audience and improve financial inclusion on a larger scale.
In the Philippines, Trusting Social's platform is helping lenders offer loans to those who were previously excluded from the formal credit system. This is a significant step towards financial inclusion, ensuring that more Filipinos, regardless of their location, have access to the financial services they need.
As Trusting Social continues to facilitate around USD $500 million in unsecured loans monthly, the future of financial inclusion in the Philippines looks promising. With its innovative approach and commitment to bridging the financial inclusion gap, Trusting Social is undoubtedly making a difference in the lives of many Filipinos.
