Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands’ wealth management unit, BPI Wealth, announced a strategic partnership with COL Financial, the Philippines’ largest online stockbroker, to broaden the investment options available to Filipino investors. This collaboration will make BPI Wealth-managed Unit Investment Trust Funds (UITF) accessible on the COL Financial platform, providing a seamless and enhanced investment experience for clients.

The signing ceremony, held at the BPI Wealth headquarters in Makati, was attended by top representatives from both companies. Representing BPI Wealth were its head of Institutional Business, Yvette Mari De Peralta, and Department Head Dominic Yatco. COL Financial was represented by its president and CEO Conrado Bate and fund specialist Zane Andrew Pulumbarit.

With the signing of this deal, users of the COL Financial platform will now have direct access to a diverse range of investment funds managed by BPI Wealth. This includes equity and fixed income funds with exposure to local and global markets, catering to various risk appetites and investment goals.

The inclusion of BPI investment funds on the COL Financial platform allows investors to diversify their portfolios further, leveraging on the expertise of one of the country’s most trusted asset management firms. BPI UITFs will be available in the COL Financial platform by July 2024.

“This year, BPI’s battle cry is ‘Do More.’ This exciting partnership underscores our commitment to doing more for Filipino investors. By collaborating with fund distributors like COL Financial, we are extending our reach to more Filipinos and making expertly-managed funds more accessible. This collaboration aligns with our mission to enhance the lives of Filipinos through investing, by providing them with a broader array of investment options to achieve their financial goals,” noted Yvette Mari De Peralta.

Conrado Bate, president and CEO of COL Financial, also shared his excitement: “Our partnership with BPI Wealth marks a significant milestone for COL Financial. By offering BPI Wealth UITFs on our platform, we are enhancing the investment choices available to our clients — therefore, enabling them to build more robust and diversified portfolios.”