Targeting young individuals who want to grow their wealth even as they jump from one job to another, BPI said it will launch within the year a new product called BPI Wealth Builder Multi-Asset Mutual Fund, which users can use and monitor online.
The mutual fund, which will be managed by BPI Wealth — the wealth management arm of the Ayala-owned lender — is said to be first fund of its kind in the Philippines as it is designed to grow with investors and support their financial journey.
With a minimum investment of P1,000 and automatic top-ups starting at P100, the fund will also provide cumulative health, medical, and life protection benefits, making it a versatile tool for securing one’s financial future.
Maria Theresa Marcial, president and CEO of BPI Wealth, said during a press briefing that young professionals will find BPI Wealth Builder appealing as it can be managed online.
Marcial is bullish on the mutual fund’s prospects, saying that hitting P1 billion in assets is a short-term goal. This, she said, is very much reachable even if one needs to have a BPI deposit account – at least, initially — before becoming a subscriber of BPI Wealth Builder.
“We already have around 10 million BPI online account holders. If they would subscribe to Wealth Builder, then we can easily reach our target. But, of course, we’d open up the product to other online banks later on,” she said.
Marcial said BPI Wealth Builder is not the bank’s first product on the tech platform, stressing that technology has played a very important role in making its investment funds available to a broader market.
“As far back as 2012 or more than more than 10 years ago, we already enabled our investment funds to be accessed through the BPI online and mobile platform,” she said.
“Before, they need to go to the branch to open an investment account. But now, they can subscribe and open an investment account online. It’s an end-to-end digital process,” Marcial said, adding that account holders tend to become more actively engaged with their funds if they can access it online.
The forthcoming launch of the BPI Wealth Builder is part of the BPI Wealth Wellness Month this October.
“October is recognized as National Financial Planning Month in the United States, making it an ideal time for the Philippines to embrace a similar focus on financial literacy,” said Marcial.
“With the BPI Wealth Wellness Month, we seek to address this critical need by providing essential resources and targeted programs that encourages Filipinos reassess their situations and take decisive actions as the holiday season and the new year approach.”
Throughout the month, a series of curated programs will equip individuals with the essential tools and resources to take charge of their financial futures.
The BPI Wealth Wellness Month kicks off with “FinQuest: Road to Financial Inclusion”, a program tailored for graduating students that explore money management, earning potential, and the vital role of financial education.
The initiative began with the Financial Inclusion Challenge, where over 40 participants submitted project proposals to improve investment accessibility in the Philippines. From this pool, 15 teams advanced to showcase their ideas before a panel of industry experts.
On Oct. 21, FinQuest will culminate in The Forum, celebrating the three winning teams and their creative solutions. This event will also feature engaging talks on financial wellness and management, specifically designed for young adults entering the next phase of their lives.
The BPI Wealth Wellness Month also caters to corporate clients through Building Better Futures, a thought-leadership event on Oct. 22. Designed to be a retirement playbook for forward-thinking organizations, this event delves into changing workforce demographics, shifting attitudes toward retirement, and the global economic factors shaping these dynamics.
This initiative will feature keynote speeches and panel discussions from experts and will equip companies to navigate these complexities and adopt strategic measures that safeguard their workforce’s financial futures.
BPI Wealth Wellness Month will conclude with Beyond Wealth on October 29, a reimagined approach to estate planning. The webinar is designed to educate BPI Wealth employees on estate planning by addressing common questions and emphasizing the link between financial well-being and positively impacting families and communities.
“BPI Wealth Wellness Month represents a pivotal moment in our dedication to supporting Filipinos at every financial stage,” concluded Marcial. “As we look ahead, we remain committed to sustaining this momentum and launching more innovative initiatives that will advance our mission of enhancing financial well-being for all Filipinos.”
