For decades, the strongest banks in the Philippines were the ones with the most physical branches on every street corner.
But the Forbes 2026 World’s Best Banks list suggests that the moat around traditional banking is narrowing, signaling a major shift in how Filipinos manage their money.
Three of the five top banks in the country are now neobanks (digital-only lenders with no physical branches). MariBank Philippines claimed the No. 1 spot, leading a digital surge that saw GoTyme Bank place second and Maya Bank secure fifth, pushing some of the nation’s oldest and most established lenders further down the leaderboard.
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) ranked third, followed by UnionBank of the Philippines in fourth. Rounding out the top eight were Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. in sixth, Land Bank of the Philippines in seventh, and Philippine National Bank in eighth.
The rankings reflect a growing preference for smartphone-first banking experiences over traditional branch networks.
The annual list, compiled in partnership with market research firm Statista, was based on a global survey of more than 54,000 respondents conducted between October and November 2025.
Participants were asked to rate banks they use or are familiar with across trustworthiness, terms and conditions, customer service, digital services, and financial advice.
Convenience has increasingly become a key driver of customer choice. Among the factors shaping this shift are faster onboarding, lower fees enabled by lower operating costs, and improved mobile-first design that prioritizes usability.
While neobanks led in digital experience, the survey also found that trust remains the most important factor for customers. The strong showing of MariBank and GoTyme against long-established institutions such as PNB and Metrobank highlights how digital platforms are increasingly earning that trust.
