Binance to enter Philippine sandbox with BlockShoals

Binance has partnered with BlockShoals Technologies, an approved participant in the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission’s Strategic Sandbox, to pursue a regulated return to the Philippines. The sandbox phase is expected to begin in the second half of 2026, and the exchange remains blocked in the country under an order from the National Telecommunications Commission.

Under the agreement, BlockShoals will act as the local intermediary authorized by the SEC’s StratBox framework. Binance will provide technology, security, operational and compliance support for tests and limited services run inside the sandbox.

A Binance spokesperson described the collaboration as “a compliance-oriented effort to work with Philippine authorities and stakeholders.” The companies said the arrangement is the exchange’s first formal market-entry approach that relies on local partnerships and regulatory engagement.

The SEC’s Strategic Sandbox allows approved participants to test products and services under regulator supervision. Binance and BlockShoals expect the sandbox phase to run for at least two years under terms set by the SEC. The partners have not released details on service scope, user limits or specific compliance conditions.

The announcement follows a regulatory dispute. In November 2023 the SEC warned the public that Binance was not authorized to sell or offer securities in the Philippines because it had not obtained the required registration and license. In March 2024 the SEC asked the NTC to block access to the exchange and related web pages, and local internet service providers began restricting access.

Binance has remained blocked since the NTC order. The planned sandbox test is the latest effort by the exchange to establish a regulated presence after those access restrictions took effect.

Regulatory scrutiny of foreign crypto platforms in the Philippines expanded in subsequent years. In August 2025 the SEC issued an advisory listing multiple international exchanges and warning they exposed Filipino investors to risk. In April 2026 the regulator named additional trading platforms in an investor alert, saying those entities were not registered with the SEC but appeared to offer investment services to the public.

The partners did not provide a commercial launch date or indicate whether the sandbox phase will lead to a formal license application. SEC sandbox rules require monitoring and reporting by participants, and any application for full market entry would require further engagement with Philippine authorities and the necessary approvals.