Fintech Empowers Filipino Microbusinesses Through Digital Tools

Filipino microentrepreneurs are gaining a powerful ally in their journey toward sustainable growth, as fintech platform yufin ramps up efforts to deliver digital tools, affordable financial services, and income opportunities to the country’s smallest businesses.

Founded in 2022, yufin is now serving over 30,000 merchants across the Philippines, with its monthly gross transaction volume and revenue growing by more than 25% each month, according to company data.

Across the archipelago, micro and nano businesses—many run by sari-sari store owners, solopreneurs, and housewives—face systemic hurdles such as inconsistent supply chains and predatory lending.

Recognizing these challenges, yufin introduced a digital-first model designed to eliminate inefficiencies and boost income generation at the grassroots level.

“I recently started using yufin after a field ambassador introduced it to me and guided me through how it works,” said Jaychel Didal, a sari-sari store owner in Davao City. “It’s been a huge help—I no longer need to commute, and it’s saved me a lot of time that I can now spend on more important tasks.”

Through its Distribution as a Service (DaaS) model, yufin transforms neighborhood stores into digital hubs by turning smartphones into Point of Sale (POS) systems that offer data-driven inventory insights, working capital solutions, and access to resell services like insurance, OTT content, and e-tickets.

The app’s yuOrder feature allows more than 500 merchants weekly in Davao City to restock inventory directly from verified wholesalers, reducing dependency on high-interest informal loans and mitigating stock shortages.

“Before I started using yufin, I often ran out of items, and customers stopped coming because I couldn’t provide what they were looking for,” said Arlene Rabanad Goka, who runs an eatery with her husband. “Now, they don’t need to look for other stores—everything they need is here. That’s why they keep buying from me. What started as just an eatery has now grown with a small store!”

As part of its broader digital transformation, yufin is integrating Microsoft cloud technologies like Azure and Power BI to analyze real-time market trends, optimize operations, and scale its infrastructure as demand grows.

One of its newest innovations is the wAIs cart—an AI-powered tool that generates a customized weekly shopping basket for merchants based on their sales history and budget constraints, helping them make smarter purchasing decisions with a single click.

Shubhrendu Khoche, Co-Founder and CEO of yufin Philippines, said the company’s mission is centered on economic upliftment. “yufin is on a mission to double the monthly income of more than ten million households by empowering the smallest businesses,” Khoche said. “We want to make sure that sari-sari store owners, solopreneurs, and housewives can grow their businesses with confidence—because when they succeed, their communities succeed too.”

To support this goal, yufin is working with banks, insurance providers, logistics firms, and digital content platforms to embed financing and expand earning avenues for its users—all from their local community shops.

Peter Maquera, CEO of Microsoft Philippines, affirmed the partnership’s broader significance. “Our partnership with yufin embodies [our] mission by delivering intelligent cloud solutions that enable small businesses to thrive in the digital economy,” he said. “Together, we are not only driving economic opportunities at the grassroots level but also reinforcing our shared vision of creating sustainable growth and prosperity for underserved communities across the Philippines.”

As yufin prepares for its seed funding round and rolls out its “10x in 6 months” expansion plan, it continues to anchor its rapid growth in a purpose-driven strategy—one that aims to elevate Filipino microentrepreneurs from survival to sustainability.