Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) lets first-time customers open a deposit account from a phone in about five minutes. The official product for new-to-bank clients is BPI #SaveUp, opened only through the BPI app—not a laptop or tablet. You can still walk into any BPI branch if you prefer a passbook, checking account, dollar account, or if the app rejects your application.
Deposits are PDIC-insured up to ₱1 million per depositor. BPI is regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Who can open an account
Fully online (#SaveUp) you must be:
- At least 18 years old
- A Filipino citizen
- A resident of the Philippines with a permanent local address
- Holder of one valid Philippine government ID
- Able to use a Philippine mobile number and a working email
- Not FATCA-reportable (U.S. persons / certain U.S. tax indicators must open at a branch)
At a branch, BPI accepts a wider set of customers: minors (with a parent/guardian), students, foreign nationals, joint accounts, and product types the app does not issue.
Note: If you already have a BPI credit card only and no deposit account, BPI’s site currently says you still need a branch visit to open a deposit account—not the new-to-bank app flow.
Option 1: Open online with the BPI app (best for first-time savers)
This is the path BPI advertises as “1 ID and 5 minutes.” New customers get a #SaveUp digital savings account and BPI online login in the same session.
What to prepare
- The official BPI app on the same phone that will receive OTPs
Download: l.bpi.com.ph/DownloadBPIApp - One accepted ID:
- National ID (PhilID / ePhilID)
- Driver’s license
- Passport
- Postal ID
- PRC ID
- SSS ID
- UMID
- Bright, even lighting for the ID photo and selfie
- Your full legal name, birthday, address, occupation, and source of funds—exactly as printed on the ID
Step-by-step
- Install the BPI app on the phone whose SIM will receive BPI OTPs.
- On the login screen, tap Open a new account / Open a bank account now, then Create a bank account.
- Choose the ID you have on hand.
- Confirm you are 18+ and a Filipino citizen.
- Enter your mobile number and email. Type the OTP.
- Read and accept the terms.
- Enter personal details as they appear on the ID.
- Scan the ID: lay it flat, capture the whole card, avoid glare and crop.
- Take the selfie.
- Finish employment / address / purpose-of-account fields.
- Create your username and password.
- Review and tap Confirm.
When approved, you can log in immediately on the app and later on online.bpi.com.ph with the same credentials. Fund the account by InstaPay or PESONet from another bank or e-wallet, cash at a BPI branch, or a BPI Cash Acceptance Machine.
You cannot start this flow on a tablet or laptop. After the account exists, web banking is allowed.
Option 2: Already a BPI client? Open another account in the app
If you already have a BPI deposit, credit card, or loan and are registered for BPI online:
- Open the app → More → Products → New Deposit Account.
- Choose the product.
- Continue if you want a free debit card and pick a branch for pickup (you can skip the card; requesting it later can cost ₱200).
- Accept the terms and approve with Mobile Key.
- The new account appears under My Accounts.
If you have a BPI product but no app login yet: tap Create new account → Yes, register to the app, enroll with your existing account details, then follow the steps above.
Option 3: Open at a BPI branch
Use a branch when you want Regular Savings, Maxi-Saver, checking, dollar savings, a joint or minor account, a passbook, or when the app cannot verify you.
Bring:
- One original valid photo ID (photocopy is usually unnecessary; the branch scans the original)
- Initial deposit in cash for that product
- Proof of address if staff ask
- For a child: PSA birth certificate, plus the parent’s ID
- For a foreign national: foreign passport and typically an Alien Certificate of Registration (tourist status is often not enough)
BPI’s published ID list for Filipino citizens includes PhilID/ePhilID, passport, driver’s license, UMID, SSS, PRC, postal, TIN, voter’s, GSIS, Pag-IBIG (with photo), PhilHealth (with photo), senior citizen, PWD, OFW, OWWA, MARINA, and certain company IDs from BSP/SEC/IC-supervised firms. Students may use PhilID, PSA birth certificate, and a current school ID signed by the principal.
Ask for the product you want, sign the forms, deposit the opening amount, and enroll in the BPI app before you leave if you can.
Which account should you open?
| Situation | Practical choice |
|---|---|
| First account, all digital | #SaveUp via the BPI app |
| Everyday ATM savings at a branch | Regular peso savings (commonly cited around ₱1,000–₱3,000 opening/maintaining; confirm current flyer) |
| Very small first deposit / inclusion | BPI Direct BanKo PondoKo via the BanKo app (as low as ₱1 for the basic deposit account)—this is a BPI subsidiary, not the main BPI app |
| Higher balance, bonus if you don’t withdraw | Maxi-Saver (branch or existing-client online) |
| USD | Dollar savings (often about USD 100 maintaining; branch or existing-client digital flow) |
| Child / student | Branch, with birth certificate and school ID as needed |
Opening amounts and interest change. Check BPI’s current deposit-rates page or the in-app product screen before you fund the account. Below-minimum ADB can trigger a fee after two consecutive months; unused savings can become dormant after two years.
After the account is open
- Fund it the same day if you can, so the account does not sit at zero (zero-balance accounts may be closed).
- Turn on Mobile Key in the app for transfers and bill pay.
- If you requested a debit card, claim it at the branch you chose.
- Save the official numbers only: do not give OTPs or passwords to anyone who messages you.
- Use InstaPay for instant transfers and PESONet for larger, cheaper batch transfers.
Common problems
- Blurry ID or selfie — retake on a flat surface in daylight, no plastic glare.
- Name mismatch — married name, suffix, or missing middle name vs the ID will fail e-KYC.
- Wrong phone — OTPs must land on the SIM in the phone you used to apply.
- FATCA / U.S. ties — #SaveUp is not available; go to a branch.
- Credit-card-only customer — deposit opening may still require a branch.
- Want BanKo instead of BPI — that is a different app (BanKo), with PondoKo products and lower balances.
Official help
- Open-account page: bpi.com.ph/personal/bank/digital-banking/mobile/open-account-online
- ID list: bpi.com.ph/personal/bank/list-of-account-opening-requirements
- 24-hour Contact Center: (+632) 889-10000
- Web banking after enrollment: online.bpi.com.ph
Download the app only from the official App Store / Google Play listing or BPI’s own download link. Fake “BPI account opening” sites and chat agents are a common scam.
If you want a Filipino/Bisaya checklist, a comparison of BPI vs LANDBANK vs BanKo, or steps for a minor’s account, say which one.