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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider The Stock Market devider BPI Wealth opens low-cost route to global AI, tech stocks

BPI Wealth opens low-cost route to global AI, tech stocks

Published Jun 22, 2026 12:00 am  |  Updated Jun 20, 2026 04:48 pm
Luis Antonio Zialcita, BPI Wealth Chief Investment Officer, introduces the new Peso Class Funds
Luis Antonio Zialcita, BPI Wealth Chief Investment Officer, introduces the new Peso Class Funds
BPI Wealth, the wealth management arm of Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands, is launching peso-denominated share classes for two of its major global investment funds to capture retail interest in the artificial intelligence (AI) and technology rally currently driving United States (US) equity markets.
BPI Wealth President and CEO Maria Theresa Marcial said the initiative targets first-time local investors by lowering the entry barrier to international markets, eliminating the need to purchase or hold foreign currency.
Marcial stated that the introduction of the Peso Plus Funds allows individuals to start global investing with a minimum of ₱1,000. This structural shift bypasses the traditional, multi-step process of converting local currency into US dollars before executing international equity or technology strategies.
Retail clients can access the new peso-denominated share classes through e-Invest, the firm's digital investment onboarding platform, while existing unit investment trust fund clients can transact via the BPI mobile application.
The expanded lineup includes the BPI World Technology Feeder Fund, which allocates capital into the BlackRock World Technology Fund. Through the new Class P peso share units, local investors gain exposure to major global technology companies, including Nvidia Corp., Alphabet Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Apple Inc., alongside long-term secular themes such as cloud computing and digital transformation.
Global markets continue to present attractive entry points for long-term investors seeking geographic and sectoral diversification, according to Luis Antonio Zialcita, Chief Investment Officer of BPI Wealth. Zialcita noted that innovation and structural growth trends remain resilient across both developed and emerging markets, and that professional portfolio management helps mitigate the risks associated with volatile sectors.
Artificial intelligence has transitioned into a primary driver of corporate capital expenditure globally. Zialcita likened the current market environment to the 19th-century gold rush, where the initial financial upside is concentrated among the suppliers of basic tools.
In the current economic cycle, chipmakers and hardware infrastructure providers represent those immediate beneficiaries, though downstream effects are expected to support multiple sectors, including regional power utilities and data center infrastructure.
To manage the inherent risks of concentrated sector exposure, BPI Wealth is also offering the BPI Global Equity Fund-of-Funds. This strategy provides broader diversified exposure across developed and emerging economies in the US, Europe, and Asia. The firm actively calibrates the portfolio mix and geographic weightings based on ongoing relative value assessments across global markets.
Marcial added that the introduction of these peso-denominated choices aligns with a broader corporate strategy to democratize asset management in the Philippines, adding to BPI Wealth's existing suite of global investment options while servicing an expanding retail client base.

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BPI Wealth Bank of the Philippine Islands Maria Theresa Marcial Luis Antonio Zialcita
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