Mastercard (NYSE: MA) and TransUnion Philippines are deepening their collaboration to help financial institutions gain a broader understanding of Filipino consumers’ financial behavior, with the goal of expanding responsible credit access across the country.
The initiative follows a successful pilot program and combines TransUnion’s credit, identity, and alternative data insights with Mastercard’s aggregated transaction intelligence.
Together, the two companies aim to give lenders a more comprehensive and timely view of consumers’ financial activity — helping institutions make better credit decisions while widening financial inclusion.
TransUnion, the country’s first private comprehensive credit reference agency, provides lenders with insights that help assess a consumer’s ability and likelihood to meet credit obligations. Mastercard’s behavioral signals, derived from aggregated indicators of spending activity, add another layer of insight into consumers’ financial capacity and risk profile.
New data approach broadens credit access for Filipinos
By merging these data sources, lenders can more effectively identify and engage consumers who are ready for credit but may lack traditional financial histories.
This is particularly relevant for “new-to-credit” individuals with no credit record, as well as “thin-file” consumers who have limited credit history — segments that are often difficult to evaluate using traditional financial data alone.
The enriched data insights aim to reduce friction in the credit application process, allowing financial institutions to tailor lending products based on consumers’ demonstrated financial patterns.
The combined data view can also help lenders distinguish between applicants with similar profiles, identify emerging opportunities within their portfolios, and engage customers more effectively.
For consumers, the collaboration could translate into faster and more accurate credit decisions, as well as lending products that better reflect their financial behavior and circumstances. The companies say this could ultimately support broader financial inclusion and expand economic opportunities for more Filipinos.
TransUnion, Mastercard, combine data to expand credit
Photo shows Peter Faulhaber (center), President and CEO at TransUnion Philippines, and Jason Crasto, Country Manager for Mastercard in the Philippines. With them are (from left:) TransUnion leaders Nolan Empalmado, Business Head, Financial Services; Rowena Cristobal, Director, Product Management; Amrita Bhattacharya, Chief Operating Officer, Asia-Pacific; and Yogesh Daware, Chief Commercial Officer, together with Mastercard executives Tamish Dhamani, Director, Credit Risk Business Development, Asia-Pacific; Arlene Magtira, Vice President, Account Management, Philippines; and Pradeep Mathew, Director, Product Management Asia-Pacific.
“This collaboration builds on TransUnion’s existing strengths in alternative data and analytics,” said Peter Faulhaber, President and CEO of TransUnion Philippines.
“By enriching our insights with Mastercard’s behavioral data, we’re helping institutions make more confident decisions while ensuring more Filipinos — especially those with limited credit histories — can gain fair and relevant access to the financial system,” he added.
For its part, Mastercard says the partnership underscores its push to build a more inclusive financial ecosystem in the Philippines.
“Our collaboration with TransUnion brings together complementary data assets that help financial institutions see a fuller picture of everyday economic participation,” said Jason Crasto, Country Manager for Mastercard in the Philippines.
“This combined intelligence enables lenders to design responsibly, grow sustainably, and extend credit opportunities to people who have historically been underserved,” he said.
Beyond expanding data insights, Mastercard has also worked with TransUnion through its consulting services to strengthen financial institutions’ data strategies. These efforts include enhancing data propositions, optimizing portfolio margins, and improving collections strategies.
As digital financial services continue to expand in the Philippines, both companies say collaborations like this could help lenders responsibly scale credit access while maintaining strong risk management practices.
