The Philippine financial technology sector is taking its industry networking out of corporate boardrooms and onto running tracks and pickleball courts. FinTech Alliance PH has officially launched Sportstacular 2026, an ecosystem-wide wellness initiative supported by central bankers, traditional financial institutions, and professional associations.
Connecting Beyond the Boardroom
While technology summits and regulatory roundtables typically dominate the industry calendar, the new initiative aims to foster trust and cross-sector collaboration in an informal setting. By bringing together tech founders, bank executives, data privacy officers, and regulators through fitness, the alliance seeks to build stronger relationships across the digital finance landscape.
“An ecosystem becomes stronger when its members have opportunities to connect beyond their usual areas of work,” said Lito Villanueva, Founding Chairman of FinTech Alliance PH and Executive Vice President at RCBC. “Sportstacular gives us that opportunity. It brings together people and organizations from different parts of the ecosystem through activities that promote wellness, camaraderie and collaboration.”
Two Flagship Events and Ten Major Partners
The initiative consists of two primary events scheduled for late 2026:
- Runtastic 2026: A community fun run taking place on Sept. 27 at BridgeTowne, Pasig.
- Paddle Forward: FinTech for Good Pickleball Cup Season 2: A two-day tournament running from Oct. 24 to 25 at Astra PickleBall Center, combining friendly competition with social impact projects under the alliance’s charity banner.
The project was formalized through a joint partnership signing featuring representatives from major financial, regulatory, and professional bodies:
- Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
- Bankers Marketing Association of the Philippines (BMAP)
- National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines (NADPOP)
- Institute of Internal Auditors Philippines (IIAP)
- Chamber of Thrift Banks (CTB)
- Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Philippines, Inc. (FICCI)
- Philippine AI Business Association (PAIBA)
- Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP)
Momentum Following the ASEAN Tech Summit
The launch of Sportstacular 2026 builds on the organization’s recent momentum following its successful hosting of the ASEAN Tech Summit Manila 2026.
Held as the Philippines assumed the regional chairship, the summit gathered thousands of global technology leaders, regulators, and policy makers to advance discussions on cross-border payments, artificial intelligence, and digital economy integration. (Read More: AI, Tokenization, and the Future of Finance Took Center Stage at ASEAN Tech Summit)
An Interconnected Digital Economy
Founded in 2017, FinTech Alliance PH currently counts over 170 corporate members that account for more than 95% of digital transaction volume in the Philippines, serving over 110 million accounts.
The organization previously launched Asia’s first industry-led Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics, regularly collaborating with government bodies on cybersecurity and consumer education.
This article is published on BitPinas: FinTech Alliance PH Launches Sportstacular 2026 Sports Initiative with BSP and Banking Partners
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