Celebrating the women of BPC on International Women's Day

As a ‘globetrotter in fintech’ with 30 million transactions that run daily through our stack, we know payment technology has been a game changer for women worldwide, especially in countries with limited access to traditional financial services.

Lately, with enhanced digital transformation, increased access to digital financial services, such as mobile payments, online banking, and peer-to-peer lending, makes it easier for women to save money and grow their businesses. This has increased financial inclusion for women – in developing economies, 74 percent of men now have access to a bank account compared to 68 percent of women.

On International Women’s Day, we want to celebrate the women behind payment technology. Here, we profile several women at BPC and their predictions for the year ahead.?

Minh Ha Truong – Head of Market Development APAC, BPC?

Minh Ha is an accomplished leader and passionate expert with 25 years in sales and business development and a strong background in the payment and mobility industry. She is responsible for scaling the business, strengthening client relations, and forming new partnerships in the APAC region for BPC and its smart city solution O-CITY. She says:?

“We will see the continued uptake of QR codes, which accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, higher adoption is occurring with dynamic QR codes generated by global users reaching 6.8 million scans (a 433 percent increase over the previous year’s figures). This is only set to increase further, especially in Asia.??

Vietnam has announced each Vietnamese person is set to have their digital identification stored in a QR code and a smartphone by 2025 as part of a national strategy to establish e-government. Meanwhile, there has also been the recent announcement by the central banks of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines to integrate their QR code payment systems. 2023 will see people buying goods and services throughout the region simply by scanning QR codes, bypassing the need for US dollars as an intermediary.”?

Mariflor Alice – Regional Director Products and Services, BPC

Mariflor has over 25 years of experience in the information technology industry, with an international footprint and a passion for serving clients across the globe. She is an experienced solutions consultant, relationship manager, and product/solutions strategist with a commercial focus on developing business for the banking and payments industry. She says:?

“Fraud prevention and detection will continue to be a top priority for financial payment systems in 2023. Implementing advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and biometrics will make payment systems more secure and resilient to fraud attacks. AI and ML algorithms will be used to analyze transaction patterns and detect anomalies, enabling real-time fraud prevention.?

Biometric authentication, such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning, will also become more prevalent in payment systems, reducing the reliance on passwords and making it more difficult for fraudsters to gain unauthorized access. Additionally, partnerships and collaborations between payment providers and other stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, will improve information sharing and lead to more effective fraud prevention and prosecution.”

Hanh Bui - Country Manager, Vietnam BPC Banking Technologies

With an enhanced working experience in the IT and Banking Finance industry, Hanh Bui is an expert at building and maintaining strong long-term customer relationships. She is the Country Manager for BPC in Vietnam, helping create digital ecosystems that bring together banks, processors, and fintechs to deliver relevant services to customers to fulfill their day-to-day financial needs. She says:?

“Embedded finance is expected to continue evolving and expanding in 2023, driven by increasing demand for seamless and integrated financial services. The adoption of open banking and API technology will likely enable more businesses to integrate financial services into their products and services, resulting in greater customer convenience and efficiency.?

According to a report by Deloitte, by 2025, embedded finance could be worth up to $230 billion in annual revenue for financial institutions globally. With the increasing demand for seamless and integrated financial services, adopting open banking and API technology will enable businesses to leverage financial data and build innovative financial products and services.”

Juliana Pena - Sales Manager, LATAM, BPC

“After the turbulence of the last few years and besides seeing the market of Latinoamerica stables. I believe 2023 is a year that will have consolidations in some markets, and more pressure to invest in new technology to keep the demand of the new consumer more adapted to a digital environment and be innovative. New dynamics in payments that were far from being a reality, have become closer, generating new challenges for all participants in the payment ecosystem.?

We will also see many projects to Boost financial inclusion through the incorporation of electronic payments into the transport ecosystem which promise large-scale systematic changes.?And a world of more consolidated Fintechs seeking to achieve the objectives set by their investors.

The number of users making mobile payments is set to grow to $1885.6 million by 2025, any disruptions or outages to digital payment systems could have severe consequences. Payment technology providers will need to focus on enhancing the stability of their systems through measures such as robust security protocols, redundancy systems, and effective monitoring and maintenance processes as well a quick delivery.”

Mariana Posada - COO, NALA, BPC

Mariana is passionate about helping Financial Institutions modernize and improve their payment platforms with innovation and digitalization solutions to their businesses. This includes creating payment platforms of the future and building relevant services that fit right into people’s daily lives. She says:?

“As we have seen, payment technology, including digital payments and mobile money, has the potential to expand financial inclusion by making financial services more accessible, affordable, and convenient for everyone, including those in remote and rural areas. While 71% of people in developing countries have a financial account, the reality is that 1.4 billion people worldwide remain unbanked .

In 2023, we will see payment technology continue to spearhead greater financial inclusion across the planet to those who need it. By leveraging payment technology, we can bridge the gap between the unbanked and traditional financial systems, ultimately leading to more financial empowerment and economic growth.”

Cassie Boutelle - Chief Marketing Officer, BPC

With more than 15 years of payments industry experience, Cassie is an accomplished and award-winning marketing and product executive. She is the Chief Marketing Officer for BPC where she is responsible for linking the innovations of BPC to the customer-focused needs of clients, creating market awareness, and driving differentiation and preference while solidifying BPC’s reputation as an international leader. She says:?

“Looking forward, a plethora of events are re-shaping the market. Payment transactions are shifting dramatically as modern technology continues to evolve and consumers continue to expect and gravitate to digital opportunities. Many markets are also seeing marked shifts in policy, geo-political factors, commerce expectations, and technology advancements - which are creating more regional dynamics.”

We are proud of how the women of BPC are leading the way in the fintech industry, breaking barriers, and creating opportunities for others. On this International Women's Day and every other day, we will continue to celebrate their achievements and encourage continued progress.