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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Banking & Finance devider MariBank secures BSP digital bank license, leaving three slots available

MariBank secures BSP digital bank license, leaving three slots available

Published Jul 23, 2026 04:56 pm

At A Glance

  • MariBank Philippines, Inc. has officially secured a digital banking license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), replacing the rural banking license under which it previously operated.
MariBank Philippines Inc. has officially secured a digital banking license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), replacing the rural banking license under which it previously operated.
The license upgrade was formalized through Circular Letter No. 2026-035, under which the Monetary Board (MB) approved the lender’s request to upgrade its banking license from a rural bank to a digital bank as early as the first quarter of the year.
MariBank now holds the seventh of the 10 digital banking licenses granted by the BSP, leaving only three licenses still available.
MariBank said in a statement on Thursday, July 23, that the transition from a rural banking license marks “a major step forward in the bank’s continued growth and commitment to serving Filipinos through digital-first banking.”
Following the approval of the license upgrade, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the bank’s amended articles of incorporation and by-laws last June 16, and the bank officially commenced digital banking operations last July 18.
Despite the change in license, the bank said its core mission remains unchanged.
“Our goal has always been to build a bank that actually works for Filipinos by being simple, reliable, and rewarding. That doesn’t change,” MariBank President Siew Ghee Kung Lim said, adding that the new license “reflects the trust our customers have placed in us from the very start.”

BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan lauded the bank’s track record, noting that it was an early adopter of the central bank’s digital payments agenda.
“I am confident that MariBank will deliver an even stronger value proposition—driving innovation and competition while benefiting both consumers and the broader banking industry,” Tangonan, who heads the BSP’s payments and currency management sector (PCMS), said.
For existing customers, the transition is designed to be seamless, as the bank remains under BSP supervision.
MariBank clarified that “no action is required from customers as a result of the reclassification,” and deposits of up to ₱1 million remain insured by state-run Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC).
MariBank was recently named the top bank in the Philippines in Forbes’ 2026 World’s Best Banks list.

Related Tags

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Mamerto Tangonan MariBank Philippines
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