The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched VERITAS, a blockchain-based platform for digital signing and authenticating SEC-related documents.
Issued as SEC Memorandum Circular No. 23, Series of 2026, and signed by Chairperson Francisco Ed. Lim on 27 July, the guidelines integrate VERITAS into the Commission’s existing eSECURE and eSAP platforms.
VERITAS lets credentialed eSECURE users, including incorporators, directors, officers, and authorised representatives, digitally sign documents using public-key cryptography.
Each signing event is hashed, recorded on a blockchain, and timestamped, creating a tamper-evident audit trail.
Users must first complete eSECURE credentialing, which requires verified government ID and a liveness detection check, before signing anything through the platform.
Once every required signatory has signed a document, the SEC appends a DICT-issued PNPKI certificate seal and a QR code for verification, then stores the final hash on the blockchain alongside every earlier version.
Documents signed through VERITAS carry the same legal effect as a signed, notarised paper document under the Electronic Commerce Act, unless a specific law requires otherwise.
Use of VERITAS is optional for now, and the existing PNPKI-based authentication through eSAP remains available.
The SEC said it may require mandatory use for specific filings later, but only after a separate issuance and public consultation.
Users are solely responsible for safeguarding their private keys, which the SEC cannot recover, and anyone found tampering with records or submitting falsified documents faces suspension and possible prosecution.
Nine Months From Draft Comment to Final Rule
The SEC first floated VERITAS as a draft circular in October 2025, opening it for public comment.
At the time, Lim said the platform “reaffirms our commitment to digital transformation, not only by making transactions more secure and efficient, but also by reducing paperwork and cutting processing time.”
The finalised circular keeps that basic structure intact, with VERITAS remaining optional and accessible through the SEC Check mobile app.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Philippines based on an image by imamscct66 via Magnific.
