UNObank

UNObank, operated by parent company UNOAsia, was founded in 2020 by Manish Bhai and Kalidas Ghose to build one of the first new digital banks under the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ digital banking framework. It received its BSP digital bank license in June 2021 and launched commercially in 2022.

The bank offers savings accounts, deposits, and credit products through a mobile-first platform aimed at Filipinos who are unbanked or underserved by traditional branch banking, competing in a digital banking space that grew crowded quickly once the BSP opened its licensing window.

UNObank has raised roughly $75 million across several rounds since its founding — including a pre-seed/seed round of $33.5 million in 2022, an $11 million pre-Series A round, and a $32.1 million pre-Series B round — backed by investors including Creador, Gateway Partners, and Nextinfinity.

A large share of Filipinos remain unbanked or underbanked, and building a full digital bank in the Philippines requires navigating a real regulatory licensing process (the BSP's digital banking framework) rather than simply launching an app.

Filipino consumers seeking mobile-first savings accounts, deposits, and credit products, particularly those underserved by traditional branch banking.

UNObank was among the first new entrants to actually secure and launch under the BSP's digital banking license framework, rather than converting an existing e-wallet or bank into a digital-bank license holder. Its founders bring senior banking and financial-services backgrounds, and its roughly $75 million raised across multiple rounds reflects sustained investor confidence through several funding stages rather than a single early check.