Under the strategic partnership, Trusting Social will deploy its proprietary artificial intelligence suite—including full KYC integration, fraud prevention systems, and advanced identity-verification tools—into Ecofinance’s digital lending operations.
Real-time fraud detection
The technology stack features AI-enabled facial recognition, cross-ID authentication, and real-time fraud detection to safeguard customers from increasingly sophisticated digital threats such as phishing, SIM-swapping, and deepfake-based identity attacks, Trusting Social explained in a press release.
The collaboration comes at a critical time, it added. The World Bank reported in 2025 that more than half of Filipino adults remain unbanked, underscoring the importance of accessible financial services.
However, the Philippines has also become a global hotspot for cybercrime, with digital fraud rates soaring to nearly 150 percent above the global average and identity-related fraud jumping by 121 percent in 2024.
Financial inclusion grounded in safety
Ecofinance general manager Kirill Kalashnikov emphasized that accessibility and safety must move together.
“For us, inclusive lending needs to go hand in hand with secure lending,” he said. “We view our partnership with Trusting Social not as compliance, but as a critical investment in protecting our customers.”
Trusting Social brings regional expertise from high-growth markets such as Vietnam and Indonesia, giving Ecofinance valuable insights into user behavior and fraud patterns across Southeast Asia.
The integration is expected to streamline document validation, improve operational efficiency, and reduce costs—helping Ecofinance deliver a faster, more secure lending experience.
National efforts against financial crime
Trusting Social Philippines CEO Johnny Escaler said the partnership reinforces the national imperative to strengthen digital trust.
“Ecofinance has built the infrastructure to reach every Filipino. Our role is to provide the AI intelligence that protects that journey,” Escaler noted.
The initiative aligns with new mandates from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), including the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA), which requires stronger fraud-management capabilities and real-time detection across the financial sector.
As digital finance continues to expand, both companies see the partnership as a necessary step toward ensuring that innovation is matched with protection—ultimately empowering Filipinos with both access and peace of mind. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
