Philippines has been taking active steps recently to reform its regulation in efforts to position itself a crypto friendly regime . The country’s central bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), released its rules for domestic exchange in February 2017, seeking to lay down a foundation for the country’s nascent cryptocurrency space.
The rulings require entities offering exchange services to apply for a Certificate of Registration and register with the country’s Anti-Money Laundering Council Secretariat, among other requirements.
But the BSP Circular 944 on virtual currency exchanges only covers crypto-to-fiat conversion activities and vice versa, implying that companies providing virtual exchange conversions via automated teller machines (ATMs) must get the central bank’s approval as well.
The framework doesn’t cover order-book style exchanges, a domain the Philippines Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is responsible of and which it has committed to creating rules for by June 2019. That’s the reason why current licensed crypto exchanges in the Philippines only provide instant conversion rate for crypto-to-fiat.
Furthermore, a virtual currency exchange license doesn’t entitle a company to conduct an initial coin offerings (ICO). ICO rules are currently being created and will also be under the domain of the SEC.
So far, the BSP has approved ten crypto exchanges.
Licensed virtual currency exchanges in the Philippines
ABA Global Philippines Inc.
Makati City
ABA Global Philippines is the latest to receive the nod from Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas. Details on the company are still scarce at the moment
Coins.PH
Makati City
Coins.ph is a mobile wallet that allows users to access financial services from their phone. The company provides services including remittances, mobile air-time, bill payments, online shopping at over 100,000 merchants, and cryptocurrency exchange services.
Bexpro
Paranaque City
Bexpress is a crypto trading platform supporting Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP. The company provides a mobile app that allows users to transact at anytime and anywhere.
BloomSolutions
Makati City
BloomSolutions (Bloom) builds blockchain-based products and services to reduce the cost and improve the customer experience of money transfer. Incorporated in Singapore with operating entities in the Philippines and Australia, Bloom acts as a remittance aggregator platform, a foreign exchange broker, and provides consulting, technical, and advisory services on blockchain development.
Coinville Phils. Inc.
Taguig City
Coinville, alongside ABA Global Philippines is the latest to receive the nod from Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas. Details on the company are still scarce at the moment
ETranss
Makati City
ETranss’ subsidiary GOW Exchange is a cryptocurrency trading platform providing services to institutional investors.
PDAX
Makati City
Backed by Consensys Ventures Philippine Digital Asset Exchange (PDAX) is a cryptocurrency trading platform that is still in private beta mode.
Rebittance, Inc.
Makati City
Rebittance is a wholly owned subsidiary of Satoshi Citadel Industries (SCI). SCI operates several products including Buybitcoin.ph, an exchange service, Bitbit, a peso and crypto wallet, Rebit, a remittance platform, and Citadax, a crypto exchange.
VHCEx
Makati City
VHCex is one of the 10 cryptocurrency platforms licensed with Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas
Zybi Tech
Pasay City
Zybi Tech is a cryptocurrency exchange platform that enables the trade of Philippines Pesos to Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin.
CEZA’s Financial Technology Solutions and Offshore Virtual Currency (FTSOVC) License
In parallel with the central bank’s virtual currency exchange license, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), introduced its Digital Asset Token Offering (DATO) regulations and the Financial Technology Solutions and Offshore Virtual Currency (FTSOVC) License last year as part of an initiative called “Crypto Valley Asia” that aims to turn the special economic zone into a regional blockchain hub.
The FTSOVC License, which is meant only for foreign businesses, allows a company based in the special economic zone to engage in crypto trading activities. However, these companies can only provide these services to non-Philippines residents.
There are two kinds of FTSOVC Licenses:
The Principal License, which allows a business to engage in fintech and crypto trading activities. Licensed companies include:
- Golden Millennial Quickpay Inc. Ltd.
- Ultra Precise Investment Ltd.
- Liannet Technology Ltd.
- Rare Earth Asia Technologies Corp.
- Formosa Financial Holdings Ltd.
- Tanzer Holdings Ltd.
- Asia Premiere International Ltd.
- Orient Express Global Ltd.
- White Ranch Limited Ltd.
- Dragon Empire Developments Ltd.
- Galaxy Plus Developments Ltd.
- Tiger Wheel Ltd.
- IPE Global Pte. Ltd.
- Cr8tiv Solutions Management Ltd.
- Sino-Phil Economic Zone Agency Development and Management Corp.
- Digifin Technologies Pte. Ltd.
- Hong Kong Yuen Shing Hong Ltd.
- First Bullion Holdings Inc
- OKCoin Philippines Technology Co. Ltd
- 6X Tech Pte Ltd
- Increz Korea
- Harseq Inc Limited
- FAFA Internet Blockchain (China) Co. Ltd
The Regular License, which is categorised into two types:
The Regular License – Offshore Virtual Currency Exchange (OVCE), which allows businesses to engage in crypto trading services. Licensed companies include:
- Cezex Trading Pte. Ltd.
- Unicorn Venture Investment Limited
- A&C Fintech Limited
- Zipmex Pte. Ltd.
- Bird Mouse Co., Ltd.
- Adax Tech Limited
The Regular License – Financial Technology Solutions Business, which allows businesses to engage in fintech services. Licensed companies include:
- EPlata Pacific Pte. Ltd.
- Ecoflow Inc.
Image Credit: Wikimedia
This article first appeared on fintechnews.sg
