The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says the country is now open to real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, framing it as both an innovation opportunity and a way to protect investors.
SEC Commissioner Rogelio Quevedo told Cointelegraph that tokenized assets could help Filipinos access more legitimate investment options while reducing exposure to scams that have targeted retail investors, especially overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Speaking at Philippine Blockchain Week 2026, Quevedo said the regulator is now confident it has the legal and regulatory foundation needed to support asset tokenization, adding that it could help modernize capital markets and even “revolutionize” stock exchanges.
In a separate interview, he highlighted that many OFWs have savings but struggle to find safe places to invest, often falling victim to fraudulent schemes promising high returns.
“We are also using artificial intelligence to go after these unscrupulous scams,” he said, adding that the SEC is working with platforms like Google and TikTok to help remove illegal investment ads and offerings.
The comments position tokenization as both a financial innovation and a consumer protection tool in the Philippines, where regulators have stepped up enforcement against unregistered investment platforms.
The SEC’s stance aligns with its Strategic Sandbox (StratBox) program, which allows fintech firms to test new products in a controlled regulatory environment. The framework lets approved participants trial services with certain regulatory adjustments, while still remaining subject to core legal requirements.
In November 2025, the SEC said several companies had already been accepted into the sandbox, including projects testing tokenized real estate and access to US equities, along with crypto-related services under pilot approval.
Featured image from: cointelegraph.com