ASEAN Financial Health Challenge

What is the ASEAN Financial Health Challenge

Despite widespread access to digital accounts and payments services, households across ASEAN continue to face distinct barriers to financial health. Closing this gap demands localised solutions - approaches that reflect on-the-ground context and that will translate into tangible, lasting impact.

The ASEAN Financial Health Challenge, co-organised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and GFTN, convenes and empowers innovators driving measurable improvements in people's financial lives - with the aim to help individuals better manage day-to-day needs, withstand shocks, and plan for a secure future.

Pilot Opportunities

Access our network of corporate leaders and investors to accelerate funding conversations.

Explore pilots with the Financial Health Champions for selected teams.

Expert Connections

Connect with industry leaders, investors and mentors. Gain on-the-ground insights from leading corporates in ASEAN.

Gain access to dedicated mentorship, upskilling, technical clinics, and learning sessions for selected teams.

Global Recognition

Showcase your team's solution to a global audience of investors, media and financial institutions at the Singapore Fintech Festival.

Dedicated speaking and showcase opportunities at Singapore FinTech Festival for winners.

Travel stipend and Singapore FinTech Festival Kiosk

Receive a stipend to offset travel and accommodation, plus a kiosk at Singapore FinTech Festival for winners.

Addresses ASEAN’s localised financial health challenges

Financial health challenges across ASEAN require localised solutions. By engaging diverse innovators with on-the-ground insights and refining solutions for different markets and user segments, the Challenge seeks to promote practical implementation and measurable impact.

Delivers pilot and partnership ready solutions

Provides a structured pipeline to identify and develop high-potential teams and solutions, which will drive outcomes including, but not limited to, participation in regulatory sandboxes, funding opportunities, pilot projects, and institutional partnerships.

Strengthens public-private collaboration

Joint resources and expertise from BSP, GFTN, the Financial Health Champions, and participants, will maximise collective impact in advancing financial health outcomes across ASEAN.

Across Southeast Asia, access to and use of appropriate insurance coverage remain uneven. One key barrier lies between understanding and action: families may recognize the need for protection but still struggle to assess their risks, determine what coverage they need, compare their options, and complete the journey to coverage. As a result, many remain without suitable protection to help them manage risks and recover from financial shocks.

How might we help families understand their protection needs in their own language and circumstances, and guide them in choosing, starting, and maintaining appropriate and affordable insurance coverage that strengthens their financial resilience?

Across ASEAN, building savings for emergencies remains difficult for many individuals, especially when incomes fluctuate and everyday expenses compete for limited disposable income. Without an adequate financial buffer, even a single unexpected expense can disrupt household finances, force people to reduce essential spending, or lead them to take on unaffordable debt.

How might we help individuals build and maintain an accessible emergency savings buffer that works with their income and spending patterns and enables them to withstand financial shocks?

Across ASEAN, millions of economically active adults and small businesses remain unable to access appropriate and affordable formal credit because traditional assessments may not fully capture informal cash flows and financial behavior. Alternative data and technology, such as AI, can help address this gap. However, the growing volume of data and financial products can also make it harder for consumers to understand their options and identify credit that meets their needs without creating unaffordable repayment burdens.

How might we responsibly use technology and alternative data to improve credit assessment and help consumers access appropriate and affordable credit, avoid over-indebtedness, and make informed choices that support their financial goals?