Zed, the credit card startup reinventing banking for the next generation of Filipinos, today announced it has raised US$16.5 million in Series A funding led by Accel, the top-tier venture capital firm known for backing industry-defining companies like Facebook, Spotify, Slack, and Dropbox.

This investment marks a significant milestone for the Philippine startup ecosystem, bringing one of Silicon Valley’s most prestigious investors to the country. Accel joins existing investors Valar Ventures and notable angels including Immad Akhund and Dalton Caldwell, bringing Zed’s total funding to $22.5 million.

AI-Native Banking For a New Generation

Zed is solving a problem that millions of young Filipino professionals face: a banking system stuck in the past. Despite having college degrees, stable incomes and professional careers, many young people are rejected by traditional banks due to credit factors embedded in their credit score that don't actually reflect their risk – like the age of their existing credit accounts. This leaves a huge segment of potentially prime customers unserved.

Zed removes these barriers by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to underwrite customers based on current income, transaction data, and other data sources outside of just traditional credit scores. The result is a premium credit card optimized for how young people spend today:

• Global Travel: Zero FX fees or markup, making it the most cost-effective way to spend internationally.

• Smart Security: Unlimited virtual cards with custom spend limits, and auto-closure settings (e.g. single-use or 24-hour cards) for safer online shopping.

• P2P on Credit: The ability to split bills and send money seamlessly, settling later with the monthly statement.

Backed by the Best 

The round is led by Accel, a firm with a decades-long track record of identifying global category leaders early. The investment validates Zed’s ambition to harness AI in serving the vast, credit-worthy population that has been shut out of the global banking system.

“In leading Zed’s Series A, we’re backing a team with the skill and ambition to build AI-powered finance that’s transparent, personal, and accessible for customers overlooked by today’s banks worldwide,” said Nafis Jamal, Partner at Accel.

Jamal added, “Young adults navigating the banking system for the first time often find its doors mostly shut. Opaque fees, clunky apps, and impersonal interactions make it clear these institutions were built for a different era (and a different customer).”

Explosive Growth and Future Plans 

Zed has seen massive demand since its invite-only launch. Strictly through word of mouth, the waitlist has swelled to nearly 200,000 sign-ups. Since the beginning of the year, the customer base has grown 10x and transaction volume has surged ~500%—all while the vast majority of the waitlist has yet to be invited.

With this new funding, Zed is accelerating its rollout to the waitlist and scaling its team. The company is actively hiring for Operations, Risk, Growth, and Support roles in Manila, as well as Product, Design, Data Science and Engineering roles in San Francisco.

“We’re reimagining financial tools to match the speed and ambition of this generation,” said Danielle Cojuangco Abraham, Co-Founder of Zed.

“Banks in Southeast Asia are running on infrastructure designed for two decades ago,” added Steve Abraham, Co-Founder. “This round accelerates our plan to rebuild that stack. The world is changing with large language models maturing, and a new generation of experiences across industries will be born. We envision a future where we can deliver a level of personal, proactive banking that used to be reserved for the few, and make it accessible to everyone.”

Join the Revolution 

Sign up at waitlist.zed.co. 

Reach out for career opportunities at careers@zed.co. 

“The marketer’s challenge isn’t access to data, but the ability to act on it efficiently,” said Tinee Cruz, Senior Business Director at DoubleVerify Philippines. “Automation isn’t about replacing human creativity; it’s about clearing room for it. By freeing up teams from repetitive work, marketers can concentrate on strategy, storytelling and innovation, three core elements that support brand growth.”

Speaking at DMAP DigiCon 2025, the Philippines’ leading digital marketing event, Cruz presented insights on how AI and automation transform campaign efficiency amid growing fragmentation across platforms and audiences. Cruz noted marketers in Asia-Pacific now spend around 27.5% of their time — equivalent to nearly ₱850,000 per team member annually — on manual campaign adjustments, reflecting an ongoing challenge to balance precision and productivity in digital marketing.

Cruz also highlighted how advertisers are now adopting AI-driven automation tools, such as DoubleVerify’s AI-based optimization technology, DV Scibids AI™, which automatically adjusts campaign performance levers in response to real-time signals to achieve this. By integrating automation with verification data, marketers can improve efficiency and create accountability without compromising media quality or transparency. 

“As marketing teams continue to evolve, automation is no longer a future concept; it’s a practical solution to reclaim time and focus,” Cruz added. “As the digital marketing landscape grows in complexity, automation has emerged not as a replacement for creativity but a foundation for it. For marketers, adopting smarter, data-led solutions will be key to maintaining both agility and authenticity, leaving them with more time to make decisions that power performance and deliver results.”

From starting out in supporting roles as one of the industry’s breakthrough artists, Alden has become one of the most sought-after actors of his generation, starring in countless series and movies. For him, being able to share meaningful stories, portray significant roles, and evoke emotions in audiences has helped him understand himself better and define his place in the industry. Brands and endorsements continue to stay because of his generosity and commitment. With the opportunities that came his way, Alden learned how to use his platform to help others.

For many years, Alden has actively shared his success in various organizations and through his own AR Foundation, which is dedicated to helping those in need and providing scholarships to students. “I think the most pivotal ones are the lives that  I was able to touch and kaya siguro ako nalagay dito sa sitwasyon, I think my mission is to be a vessel, and give out all the blessings that's coming in the way”, Alden reflected when asked about the highlight of his 15 years in the business. He added, “Iba kasi yung joy and happiness that I feel whenever I'm able to help in my own small way sa mga taong nangangailangan especially in terms of education, I think yun yung maibibigay ko sa kanila–something that cannot be stolen and that they can carry with them until tumanda na sila.”

Even before staging a fan meet, Alden celebrated his anniversary with an outreach tour, “ARXV Care-a-van” last Sunday, December 7 where he visited institutions closest to his heart–Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, East Ave Medical Center and Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Animal Rehabilitation Center. For him, being involved in such activities is his way of giving back to the community.

Recently, Alden Richards has been hailed as one of Anak TV’s MAKAbata Star Hall of Famers, alongside Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera, Atom Araullo, Drew Arellano, Kim Atienza, Kara David, Vicky Morales and veteran journalists Mel Tiangco, Jessica Soho and Mike Enriquez. “Maraming salamat po for the continuous recognition since I started my career in the past 15 years. I think it's very essential for us public figures to be given this kind of recognition so that it can ground us and to give us even more fuel to continue what we have started to do”. Highlighting that he will continue to use his platform in spreading kindness and social responsibilities that will give inspiration to others–especially the youth who look up to him.

Furthermore, as part of Sparkle’s advocacy campaign, Alden even led the “Click Kindness” initiative, which aims to spread kindness both online and offline. Given the challenges the country is facing, he believes that now is the perfect time to rethink and control our actions toward one another.

Moving forward, Alden believes there is much more in store for his career, and he is excited for what lies ahead. “Sabi ko nga, ‘malayo na pero malayo pa’. In the past 15 years, everything felt planned and thought out, pero syempre hindi natin tatanggalin yung aspetong yun. But I just want the next 15 years in the industry to be full of surprises. I want my journey to present itself, because of course, it's not going to be easy.” He added that staying in the business is at the heart of his journey, and with changing times, it is important to continuously reinvent oneself as a celebrity.

The Evangelion collaboration serves as the newest example of this creativity. The collection reinterprets key elements from the series through clean silhouettes, subtle graphics, and styles meant for daily wear, allowing fans and new audiences to experience the world of Evangelion in a fresh and accessible way.

As a style editorial brand, niko and… encapsulates culture, design, and everyday living into a one creative playground, fostering a creative ecosystem that enables collaborations with a wide range of IPs, artists, and labels. This identity produces unique offerings that go beyond traditional retail, while its editorial and flexible approach ensures every project is rich in storytelling, functionality, and immersive consumer experiences.

Grounded in its Japanese heritage, the brand showcases meticulous craftsmanship and thoughtful design across apparel, accessories, room items, and collaborative lines, bringing the best of modern Japanese lifestyle into everyday customers. The brand’s Japanese origin remains central to how it designs and produces each collection. Its pieces reflect Japanese craftsmanship, attention to detail, and an ability to translate cultural ideas into modern lifestyle items. This gives customers access to the latest trends from Japan through apparel, accessories, room items, and collaborative lines that blend creativity with everyday function.

A Collaboration That Signals Bigger Plans for the Philippines

niko and … is currently located at SM Mall of Asia, but the brand has expressed clear interest in opening more stores in the Philippines. The management team aims to bring the brand closer to more consumers and believes Filipino shoppers respond strongly to design, quality, and cultural expression. The Evangelion launch signals the beginning of a broader Philippines strategy built on expansion and creative experiences.

This direction is guided by ADASTRIA, one of Japan’s largest fashion houses with a long history of cultivating lifestyle brands. Its multi-brand strategy has built many household names in Japan and is shaped by a strong understanding of culture, design, and consumer behavior. The group views the Philippines as a promising market and is exploring the introduction of more brands to the country to create long-term relevance in the region.

“Filipino consumers value design, story, and creativity,” says Daisuke Fujii, CEO of Adastria. “We see strong interest in Japanese culture and the ideas behind it. This collaboration is our way of celebrating Evangelion’s legacy while showing what we hope to build here. We want to grow with the market and bring more of our brands and experiences to the Philippines.”

Ahead of the launch, the niko and … store at SM Mall of Asia is being transformed into an Evangelion themed space. The setup includes curated displays, visual cues from the series, and anniversary elements that reflect both the anime’s legacy and the brand’s editorial approach to storytelling. niko and …’s collaborations with globally beloved franchises like Stranger Things, Sesame Street, Looney Tunes, Thomas & Friends, and PlayStation tap into nostalgia while bringing unique narratives and design perspectives, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to connecting with diverse audiences through storytelling, creativity, and culturally resonant experiences, a philosophy now extended to its growing presence in the Philippines.

The collaboration arrives at a time when pop culture and lifestyle continue to intersect in the Philippines. Anime, fashion, and design now influence how Filipinos express personal style both online and offline. niko and … aims to support this growing movement by offering Japanese design, creative partnerships, and lifestyle experiences grounded in culture.

The Evangelion x niko and … collection will be available starting December 12 at the niko and … store, SM Mall of Asia.