Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) has launched a pioneering Application Programming Interface (API) marketplace in partnership with Hungry Workhorse Consultancy Inc., aiming to accelerate digital innovation and deepen fintech collaboration across the financial services ecosystem.

The API marketplace—powered by Digital Marketplace 2.0, a centralized API management platform built by APIwiz—offers fintechs seamless access to a suite of ready-to-deploy APIs. Hungry Workhorse, the official Philippine partner of India-based APIwiz, will provide implementation support, design thinking expertise, and digital talent development as part of the strategic collaboration.

Angelito M. Villanueva, RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer, described the initiative as a game-changer in enabling financial inclusion through co-creation.

“This API-first approach unlocks exponential opportunities to scale inclusive digital finance by fostering collaboration with key fintech players—both local and international,” Villanueva said.

He added that by bridging digital capabilities across the ecosystem, RCBC can deliver more personalized, affordable, and accessible financial services to millions of Filipinos, including overseas workers and the unbanked.

The initiative aligns with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) proposed guidelines on digital financial marketplaces released earlier this year. The guidelines aim to enable banks and electronic money issuers to offer a mix of proprietary and third-party financial products through unified digital platforms, thereby supporting regulatory objectives around interoperability and financial inclusion.

RCBC plans to roll out 30 priority APIs within the first 90 days of launch. These will include services for digital remittances, embedded finance (banking-as-a-service), savings, and insurance—key areas expected to generate new revenue streams while improving operational efficiency.

According to Villanueva, the platform has already drawn strong interest from local fintech players, including potential digital banking license applicants and incumbent institutions exploring API-driven integration.

“This move signals RCBC’s commitment to digital transformation—not only within the bank but across the broader financial ecosystem,” Villanueva noted.

The launch further positions RCBC as a leading player in the region’s open finance movement, reinforcing the role of collaborative innovation in reshaping access to financial services.