Nate Clarke

Opening a bank account in the Philippines has not always been straightforward, particularly for people outside the traditional financial system. GoTyme Bank was built to make that process simpler, pairing a mobile banking app with self-service kiosks in Robinsons malls and supermarkets where customers can open accounts and print debit cards. Its co-founder and CEO, Nathaniel “Nate” Clarke, has spent much of his career developing digital banking services for emerging markets.

A joint venture between South Africa’s Tyme Group and the Gokongwei Group, GoTyme draws on the former’s banking technology and the latter’s established retail network. The partnership gives the bank a physical presence that many app-only competitors lack, helping customers get started with digital banking in places they already visit.

By 2024, GoTyme had reached three million customers in the Philippines. Its next phase involves expanding beyond savings and payments into lending and merchant services, while managing the risks that come with rapid growth. Clarke’s challenge is to make these offerings commercially sustainable without losing the accessibility that brought customers to the bank in the first place. In a market where trust still matters as much as technology, that balance will be central to GoTyme’s next chapter.