Ant International Pushes AI Strategy with AI Platform for Fintechs

Ant International Pushes AI Strategy with AI Platform for Fintechs

Monday, June 9, 2025

• Three-pronged AI strategy focuses on AI security, Vertical Fintech Expertise, and Full-stack AI platform support

• First fintech clients begin official integration in June 2025 in Southeast Asia and South Asia

Ant International, a leading global digital payment, and financial technology provider, today unveils its AI strategy with the launch of Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit, an AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) platform that empowers fintech companies and super apps to build AI-agentic and ultimately AI-native financial services with enhanced efficiency, security, and flexibility.

Making AI systemically work for finance remains the holy grail of the current AI revolution. Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit is a platform to help entrepreneurs architect an agentic and ultimately AI-native financial services, combining automated workflows and task orchestration with a dynamic enterprise context, across main fintech tasks, from payment orchestration, customer onboarding, compliance checks, to fraud detection, dispute resolution, as well as evaluation and performance optimization.

“The future of finance will be shaped by agentic AI that not only carries out tasks autonomously in real automated workflows and sophisticated financial business and compliance context with reliability, but also interacts, evolves and learns rapidly in orchestration with ever-growing precision,” said Jiangming Yang, Chief Innovation Officer of Ant International.

Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit has been honed on Ant International’s four key business units: wallet gateway service (Alipay+), merchant payment service (Antom), cross-border business account service (WorldFirst), and embedded finance service (global treasury management, digital lending and credit tech solutions). Upon successful completion of trial runs, the first external clients in Southeast Asia and South Asia will start officially deploying the Cockpit in June 2025.

Three-Pronged AI Strategy: Security, Vertical Fintech Expertise, and Platform-level Support for Agentic FinAI

Combining a fintech-specific toolbox and dynamic industry knowledge base alongside business-ready AI innovations, the Cockpit embodies three key directions of Ant International’s AI strategy.

Security Shield for Trusted AI

AI scamming threats using deepfake and other technologies have been growing over 10 folds by the year, with grave implications, especially in the financial sector. Statistics show 22% of businesses have encountered AI-generated payment fraud.

Ant International invests heavily in AI security solutions to combat external AI scamming attacks and eliminate internal model security risks such as model hallucination or bias. Its AI SHIELD framework manages risks across system architecture designing, data processing, model training, and inferencing. It offers real-time dynamic risk assessment, including detecting adversarial prompts and sensitive data leakage through over 100 recognition models and 600,000 risk lexicons. Today, fraud loss rate in Ant International’s merchant payment service is 5% of industry average.

Deep Vertical Financial Expertise

Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit leverages over 20 leading LLMs, including Ant International’s own Falcon Time-Series-Transformer FX Model. However, it has focused on integrating fintech knowledge bases, such as bank transfer rules and dispute resolution policies, to help businesses build specialized fintech agents.

The Cockpit toolbox supports retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), post-training, evaluation, and benchmarking, taking the combination of general-purpose datasets with industry-specific benchmarks developed from Ant International’s financial expertise to help improve model precision.

Built on the Cockpit, Antom Copilot is the world’s first AI agent designed to help merchants boost conversion by streamlining the process of payment method integration, recommending optimal payment channels, and resolving common tasks like code correction and the auto-completion of merchant onboarding documents. It also allows merchants to configure risk management strategy with natural language.

Full-Stack FinAI Platform Support

Cockpit offers a wide selection of pre-built agents covering regular tasks, including customer service, content curation for targeted marketing, and AI-assisted coding. One level up, a business can easily customize agents for more specialized scenarios such as travel advisory, tax refunds, cross-border remittance, and loyalty rewards, accelerating time-to-value across business functions.

Further, the Cockpit’s model context protocol (MCP) marketplace supports major MCP servers developed thus far and allows businesses to create their own MCP servers to enable autonomous task completion. It also supports flexible deployment across public clouds and on-premise environments, drawing on strategic partnerships with Google Cloud and other top-tier infrastructure providers.

“The FinAI sector is at its big-bang moment,” said Yang. “We are eager to work with the industry to evolve and expand the toolbox as well as this ecosystem to help financial businesses scale their growth faster and better.”

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LBC Express Empowers Filipino Entrepreneurs with Up to 60% Off Shipping Through ‘LBC BOSS’ Program

LBC Express Empowers Filipino Entrepreneurs with Up to 60% Off Shipping Through ‘LBC BOSS’ Program

LBC Express, the Philippines trusted logistics and money services provider, officially launches LBC BOSS (Bulk Order Sulit Sending), a new shipping program built to support the growing community of online sellers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the Philippines.

The initiative underscores LBC’s continued commitment to uplift Filipino entrepreneurs, offering up to 60% off shipping rates, starting with a minimum of 15 parcels per month. Members also gain access to free doorstep pick-up, dedicated customer support, and exclusive business perks tailored to their needs.

“Filipinos have always been entrepreneurial — from traditional markets to today’s digital platforms,” said Oliver L. Valentin, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Philippine Branch Operations at LBC Express Inc.

“LBC BOSS was built to empower that spirit. It is a program made specifically for the modern Filipino seller — the ones building their own brands from home, pursuing dreams through hard work, and serving their communities with heart. LBC is here to support them with the tools, savings, and reliability they deserve,” he added.

With the steady rise of e-commerce, social selling, and marketplace platforms, LBC BOSS comes at a pivotal moment for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The program reflects LBC’s continued commitment from serving Filipinos overseas to championing local entrepreneurs as they build, scale, and thrive.

Whether shipping curated fashion pieces, handcrafted goods, baked treats, or skincare essentials, sellers can rely on LBC BOSS as a partner that understands both the speed and demands behind every small business.

As LBC approaches its 75th anniversary, the launch of LBC BOSS reflects the company’s enduring mission to move lives, uplift communities, and deliver value beyond logistics.

Ready to boost your business? Sign up and become an LBC BOSS today!

To learn more, visit LBC Express’ official website or follow their social media pages for the latest updates.

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Singlife Philippines launches Protect from Funeral Costs: A final act of love that lives on

Singlife Philippines launches Protect from Funeral Costs: A final act of love that lives on

Thursday, June 5, 2025

In Filipino culture, being present is everything. Whether it’s for birthdays, emergencies, or moments of grief—showing up is how we show love. But what if you couldn’t be there when it matters most?

With Protect from Funeral Costs, the latest offering in the Singlife Plan & Protect App, Singlife Philippines makes it possible to do one last act of love—to show up for those that matter most, even when you no longer can.

This whole life insurance product offers a lump sum benefit of up to ₱500,000, which can help families cover funeral arrangements or other end-of-life expenses, giving peace of mind to both policyholders and their loved ones. Fully accessible through Singlife’s all-digital mobile platform, this solution empowers every Filipino to prepare responsibly, protect those they love, and continue showing up—even in their absence.

“Losing someone you love is already one of life’s most difficult moments, and having to rely on ‘abuloy’ or having to pass the hat just to pay for funeral costs makes it even harder,” said Lester Cruz, Chief Executive Officer of Singlife Philippines. “Protect from Funeral Costs allows you to prepare in advance and leave behind a final act of love, one that ensures your family can grieve without financial worry. It’s part of our mission at Singlife: to empower every Filipino toward financial independence—in life, and beyond it.”

Growing Suite of Protection in the Singlife Plan & Protect App

Protect from Funeral Costs joins Singlife’s best-in-class suite of affordable, mobile-first insurance and investment solutions. These include life insurance, medical cost protection, and investment-linked plans—all designed to put financial control directly in the hands of customers. Like booking a flight or managing a savings account, buying funeral protection can now be done anytime, anywhere.

With funeral expenses in the Philippines typically exceeding ₱200,000, Singlife’s latest product provides straightforward, flexible coverage in the face of a very real financial risk.

The Protection You Leave Behind

Protect from Funeral Costs provides a lump sum cash benefit that gives your family the flexibility to honor your final wishes in their own way. Whether it’s for a modest ceremony or a more elaborate farewell, your loved ones can decide how to use the money without being locked into a fixed package from a funeral service provider. The product was designed with key features to give customers a convenient and easy way to plan for their funeral expenses.

Customizable and affordable protection: You can choose coverage from ₱100,000 to ₱500,000. Premiums are pocket-friendly, starting at just ₱447 per month, with payment terms of just 5 or 10 years—and your coverage lasts until age 120.

Built-in Financial Needs Analysis: Not sure how much coverage you need? This feature helps you estimate how much your family may need based on your preferred funeral type, casket, memorial lot, number of viewing days, and expected guests. Since most people don’t realize how much a funeral can cost, this unique tool empowers you to plan ahead and ensure your family won’t be caught off guard.

Yearly coverage boost*: Keep your policy active and enjoy additional coverage* each year at no extra cost, helping you stay ahead of inflation and rising funeral expenses.

Spouse and child coverage: Extend protection to your spouse or life partner under one plan. Starting from the second policy year, you also have the option to enroll your child for coverage at no extra cost—no need to buy a separate policy for them.

Waiver of premiums due to disability: If you become permanently disabled during your premium payment period, you won’t have to worry about future payments—your premium payments will be waived but your coverage will remain active and in force.

Cash value and loan access: Over time, your policy builds cash value, which you can borrow from starting in the fourth year—giving you extra financial flexibility when needed.

Immediate cash assistance: Your beneficiaries will receive 10% of the cash benefit in advance upon submission of the policyholder’s death certificate and beneficiary’s identity verification. This helps cover urgent funeral expenses while the remaining amount is released upon claim approval.

*Coverage boosts come from non-guaranteed dividends, and their performance depends on market conditions.

A Final Act of Protection. A Lifetime of Love.

In a country where insurance penetration remains below 2%, Singlife Philippines is challenging the status quo by offering simple, relevant solutions that meet Filipinos where they are—on their phones, and in real life.

With Protect from Funeral Costs, the company transforms what used to be a taboo topic into a powerful expression of love and foresight. Because even if you can’t be there, your protection still can be.

Protect from Funeral Costs is now available exclusively in the Singlife Plan & Protect App, downloadable on the App Store and Google Play. Check how much coverage you need using the financial analysis tool and get an instant ₱300 in Singlife Credits—free—to help jumpstart your journey to financial independence.

Because love doesn’t stop—even when life does.

Click here to learn more about Protect from Funeral Costs.

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US chamber honors TP’s community efforts in the Philippines

US chamber honors TP’s community efforts in the Philippines

Global leader in digital business services, TP, has been recognized and awarded with the Gold Award for Community Support and Engagement at the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (AmCham) Corporate Social Impact Awards. The recognition spotlights the sustained community efforts of TP’s official corporate social responsibility arm, Citizen of the World (COTW) Foundation, in the Philippines.

AmCham is one of the oldest and most influential business organizations in the country from the time of its founding in 1902. Its annual Corporate Social Impact Awards is an industry cornerstone, recognizing and celebrating outstanding organizations and individuals who have demonstrated exemplary commitment to creating positive change through impactful social initiatives beyond profit-making.

“The AmCham Corporate Social Impact award affirms TP’s sustained mission to be a Force for Good in the Philippines and around the world. Together with COTW and our partners in humanitarian initiatives, we will continue to transform lives and communities by bringing hope, security, and opportunities to those who are most in need,” said Jeffrey Johnson, Chief People Officer of TP in the Philippines and COTW PH President.

Established in 2006, COTW focuses on helping underserved and vulnerable sectors of society, especially children and the elderly, by mobilizing TP’s leaders, clients, employees, and partners in humanitarian and cause-oriented initiatives.

In 2024 alone, COTW generated at least Php9 million ($161,000) in donations from employees, external donation drives, its e-commerce platform (COTW Store), and partnerships. Employee engagement is the primary driver of COTW's sustained success as the foundation elevates TP employees’ pride, loyalty, and satisfaction. COTW has also successfully fostered a culture of volunteerism with 16,490 volunteer hours (nearly 60,000 volunteer hours from 2009 to 2024) dedicated to CSR efforts across 27 sites.

Through COTW, over 24,000 lives through 43 community activities benefited in 2024. These activities range from supporting chronically ill children, providing care for abandoned children, to aid for the elderly.

Apart from the aforementioned CSR initiatives, COTW engages in long-term collaborations to ensure sustainable results, such as supporting the Life Project 4 Youth (LP4Y) training centers that equip vulnerable youth with skills for employment. The project has mobilized Php5,000,000 in donations (Php10 million in total) and impacted 944 vulnerable youths in rural areas in 2024.

TP likewise continues its long-term support to the TP Village in Tanay, Rizal, providing housing units, community centers, and ongoing support for 100 families.

Furthermore, COTW’s Citizen of the Planet (COTP) initiative, has supported TP in its environmental initiatives, including tree planting, coastal/river cleanups, and energy conservation efforts such as Monthly Earth Hour. COTW greatly contributed to TP’s sustainable achievements in 2024, notably a 46% reduction in carbon emissions per employee in its operations in the Philippines.

“This latest award is a huge honor which cements our place further not only in the IT-BPM industry, but in the realm of social progress and national development as well. We take pride in what we do—from the selfless efforts made by COTW leaders and volunteers to the ongoing success of our programs and initiatives, such as our partnerships with LP4Y and the residents of our TP Village,” said Chief Executive Officer of TP in the Philippines Rahul Jolly.

COTW has successfully upheld, and continues to uphold, TP’s commitment to being a Force of Good for all the communities in which it operates. TP in the Philippines has consistently earned accolades from industry and government partners for its high-tech, high-touch, and high-standards programs. Earlier this year, the TP Skills Training to Employment Program (TP STEP) in partnership with the city government of Pasig was recognized as a Grand Anvil Finalist and a Gold Anvil awardee by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines. TP STEP equips individuals from marginalized groups and communities with the necessary skills to thrive in the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry.

Recently, TP in the Philippines was awarded in the Top Best Workplace in the Philippines list for the fourth consecutive year. The company is the first and most consistently certified Great Place to Work® organization in the Philippines for the past seven consecutive years since 2018.

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FedEx Delivers Educational Supplies to 2,400 Students in Cebu and Negros Oriental

FedEx Delivers Educational Supplies to 2,400 Students in Cebu and Negros Oriental

FedEx continues its collaboration with Feed the Children to support education and communities by donating school supplies to children in Cebu and Negros Oriental

Federal Express Corporation, one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, continues its collaboration with the non-profit organization, Feed the Children, to strengthen its commitment to education and community support by donating school supplies to children from Cebu and Negros Oriental.

As part of the FedEx Cares program, 40 FedEx volunteers worked together to fill backpacks with school supplies for 2,400 children from farming and fishing communities in Cebu and Negros Oriental. This will support their learning journeys for the upcoming school year.

The collaboration with Feed the Children aims to address long-standing barriers to education in the Philippines. According to United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), only half of children aged three to four years old are enrolled in daycare and only 78% of Filipino children complete basic education. By equipping students with the school supplies they need in the classroom, FedEx and Feed the Children aim to ease the burden on families and promote learning continuity.

"At FedEx, our commitment goes beyond delivering school supplies—we aim to uplift the communities we serve. This initiative reflects our purpose of connecting people with possibilities and empowering the next generation to thrive and reach their full potential,” said Maribeth Espinosa, managing director of FedEx Philippines. “Education is the foundation of a brighter future, and we’re proud to help make that future more accessible for children in Cebu and Negros Oriental.”

“Our continued collaboration with FedEx reminds us that real change begins when communities come together,” said Bregeita Jefferson, President of FEED International. “These school kits represent more than supplies; they carry hope, dignity, and opportunity.”

The FedEx Cares program is part of the company’s global community engagement strategy focused on Delivering for Good, Advancing Climate Solutions, and Empowering Entrepreneurs. In the Philippines, FedEx continues to invest in inclusive and impactful programs that uplift communities and create pathways to success.

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Kissflow wins “Best Digital Transformation Solution” at Future Digitech Summit 2025

Kissflow wins “Best Digital Transformation Solution” at Future Digitech Summit 2025

Kissflow, a low-code platform built for citizen developers aka process owners and developers to create applications is proud to announce that it has been honored with the “Best Digital Transformation Solution” award at the prestigious Future Digitech Summit 2025, recognizing its outstanding contribution to redefining business processes through innovation and cutting-edge technology.

Held annually, the Future Digitech Summit celebrates excellence in digital innovation, bringing together trailblazers from across the tech industry. This award acknowledges Kissflow’s commitment to empowering organizations with scalable, user-centric digital transformation solutions that drive efficiency, agility, and growth.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition,” said Rakesh Nandakumar, AVP - Kissflow, South East Asia. “This award is a testament to our team’s relentless focus on delivering transformative solutions that make a real difference to businesses worldwide.”

Southeast Asia is a key growth market for Kissflow, with its rapidly expanding digital economy and increasing demand for agile, low-code solutions. With a strong presence across countries like the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and more recently- Thailand, Kissflow continues to partner with organizations in the region to simplify and accelerate their digital transformation journeys.

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SM Supermalls Named Philippines’ Strongest Brand for 2025 by Brand Finance

SM Supermalls Named Philippines’ Strongest Brand for 2025 by Brand Finance

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

SM Supermalls has once again proven its leadership in the retail industry by being named the Philippines’ Strongest Brand for 2025 by Brand Finance, the world’s foremost brand valuation consultancy. With a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 95.0 out of 100, the highest among all Philippine brands, SM Supermalls is setting new benchmarks in brand trust, innovation, and customer experience.

Unmatched Brand Strength in the Philippines

While BDO Unibank retained the top spot in overall brand valuation for the second year, SM Supermalls secured the #1 ranking in brand strength, signaling its unrivaled reputation and impact on consumers and stakeholders alike.

This accolade reflects SM Supermalls’ leadership in marketing excellence, digital transformation, and community-centered initiatives, making it a powerhouse in the country's ever-evolving retail landscape.

“SM Supermalls’ achievement as the strongest Filipino brand this year symbolizes success built on scale, innovation, and customer experience,” said Alex Haigh, Managing Director of Brand Finance Asia-Pacific. “Its role in commerce and the community makes it a brand deeply embedded in the nation’s cultural fabric.”

Fueling Growth Through Purpose and Innovation

SM Supermalls continues to push boundaries by delivering exceptional retail experiences and building vibrant communities through purpose-driven campaigns. From integrating digital innovations to reimagining mall spaces, the brand has consistently adapted to meet the needs of Filipino consumers.

“Being named the Philippines’ strongest brand affirms the passion and dedication of our SM family,” said Steven T. Tan, President of SM Supermalls. “Our greatest reward is knowing that we make people’s lives brighter every day that’s what truly matters.”

Why This Recognition Matters

The Brand Finance Global 500 ranking is based on rigorous evaluation standards, including ISO 10668 (Brand Valuation) and ISO 20671 (Brand Evaluation), making it one of the most credible indicators of brand performance worldwide. For investors, partners, and tenants, this recognition reaffirms SM Supermalls as a trusted growth partner and a catalyst for inclusive development.

SM Supermalls: More Than Just Retail

More than just a place to shop, SM Supermalls has become a symbol of hope, progress, and Filipino pride. It empowers communities, supports local enterprises, and leads the way in creating sustainable, people-centric developments.

With a network that continues to grow across the country, SM Supermalls proves that true brand strength lies in how it serves, uplifts, and inspires the people it touches every day.

SM Supermalls also extends its congratulations to BDO, which maintained its position as the Philippines’ most valuable brand for the second year in a row, a testament to the strength and stability of the SM Group across multiple sectors.

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