The Philippines’ fight against digital financial fraud is entering a new phase as CIBI Information Inc. officially launched the Fraud Intelligence Data Sharing (FIDS) Network, a platform designed to help financial institutions collaborate in detecting fraud across the ecosystem.
Developed in partnership with FinTech Alliance PH, the FIDS Network enables banks, fintech firms, e-wallet providers, and other organizations to share fraud signals through a secure centralized database.
The initiative aims to help institutions flag suspicious applicants earlier by checking verified fraud data before approving applications or opening accounts.
The platform comes at a time when fraud schemes increasingly span multiple platforms, making them harder to detect when institutions operate independently. By allowing members to share confirmed fraud intelligence such as watchlists and blacklist entries, the network provides a collective defense against coordinated fraud attempts.
“We are very proud to bring together CIBI’s data, expertise, and governance infrastructure with the FinTech Alliance’s industry network,” said Pia Arellano, President and CEO of CIBI. “Ultimately, this is about protecting Filipinos who trust the digital economy with their money, their identity, and their future.”
Collaboration to address cross-platform fraud
Under the FIDS framework, participating institutions contribute fraud-related information while retaining control over their internal customer data. When a new application is received, institutions can check it against the shared database and receive alerts if the applicant has previously been flagged by another member.
Data sharing is designed to comply with privacy regulations while enabling faster detection of suspicious patterns across institutions.
Industry leaders say collaboration is critical as fraudsters increasingly move funds quickly across multiple platforms to evade detection.
Speaking during a fireside chat at the initiative’s launch, industry participants highlighted how fraud incidents often span several institutions before being detected.
“Fraud travels fast. It travels from one institution to another, and no single institution can see the whole attack pattern,” said Giselle P. Uvida, Fraud Detection Issuing Head and Vice President at BDO Unibank. “That’s why collaboration is essential.”
Panelists also stressed that the growing scale of digital finance requires institutions to work together rather than operate in silos.
“Not one single institution can effectively address this on its own,” said Jesse Lucas, Chief Consumer and Data Analytics Officer at GoTyme Bank. “It has to be a collaborative effort to fight these fraudsters.”
Initial members and ecosystem participation
The FIDS Network currently includes several major financial institutions and fintech players. Early participants include BDO Unibank, RCBC, HSBC, Maya Bank, Salmon Group, GoTyme Bank, UNO Digital Bank, ABU‑EMP, and SB Finance.
CIBI said the network operates on a reciprocity model: institutions that contribute fraud data can also access insights from the shared database. Members are notified in real time when an application matches information linked to previously confirmed fraud cases.
The initiative is currently in its pilot phase, with participating institutions receiving free access to the platform for the first six months.
Strengthening trust in the digital financial ecosystem
Beyond preventing fraud, the FIDS Network is designed to strengthen trust in the country’s growing digital financial ecosystem.
Officials say cybercrime and fraudulent schemes—such as mule accounts and identity fraud—are becoming more sophisticated, often exploiting gaps between institutions. By pooling fraud intelligence, the network aims to detect patterns that may not be visible to individual organizations.
“Cybersecurity is no longer optional. It is a core component of national resilience,” said Renato Paraiso, Executive Director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center. “Our goal is not only to protect systems, but also to ensure that the public continues to trust critical digital services such as banking and other online platforms.”
The FIDS initiative also aligns with broader efforts to strengthen the Philippines’ digital finance ecosystem as regulators and industry groups push for stronger safeguards against fraud.
Organizations interested in joining the network may contact CIBI to learn more about participating in the collaboration.
As digital financial services continue to expand in the country, industry leaders say initiatives like FIDS highlight the importance of shared intelligence and collective action.
“Fintech must not only innovate. It must also strengthen resilience and reinforce trust,” said Lito Villanueva, Founding Chairman of FinTech Alliance PH. “The FIDS Network shows how institutions can share intelligence and work together to address emerging fraud threats.”
