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Coinbase and Gemini Blocked in the Philippines Amid Crackdown on Unregistered Exchanges

The central bank of the Philippines (BSP) has ordered internet service providers to block access to unregistered cryptocurrency exchanges. Among the first to be affected are major global platforms Coinbase and Gemini. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) acted on a BSP directive that identified 50 unlicensed Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs). This crackdown is part of the enforcement of the VASP licensing framework established by the BSP in 2021. Despite the regulations, many large offshore exchanges have not sought the necessary licenses to operate in the country. The action follows a similar block imposed on Binance in 2024. Other prominent exchanges on the regulator's list include OKX, Kraken, KuCoin, Bitget, and MEXC. As of now, only a few platforms, such as local exchanges Coins.ph and PDAX, are fully licensed to offer crypto services in the Philippines. Regulators have stated that foreign exchanges are welcome to apply for a license but must establish a local presence and comply with all regulatory requirements.

ccn.com12/24 13:07