Philippines

Digital Local Currency Program · Philippine Peso

The Infrastructure
Connecting Philippine Banks
to the World

Enable Philippine banks to capture, retain, and monetize cross-border currency flows—without requiring physical expansion.

The Framework

What This Program Enables

The DLC Program is a bank-participation model. Philippine banks and licensed fintech institutions join as institutional members and operate as the regulated execution layer, aligned with BSP frameworks governing cross-border payments, FX transactions, and digital banking operations.

This is not a new payment app.

This is a new revenue layer on top of existing banking infrastructure.

01

Liquidity Anchor Institution

Act as settlement anchor for cross-border PHP and foreign currency corridors.

02

PHP Access Provider

Provide regulated PHP access to foreign banks and international users.

03

Foreign Currency Channel

Offer Filipino clients access to foreign currencies within their existing banking app.

04

FX Revenue Capture

Monetize FX spreads, float, and settlement fees from recurring international flows.

Programs

The Three Pillars

Three interlocking programs that allow institutions and individuals to buy, hold, and spend currencies across borders—entirely within regulated banking infrastructure.

01

Pillar 01

BUY

Cross-Border Delivery of Philippine Peso and Foreign Currencies

Serves as a specialized corridor for the instant delivery of currency to existing beneficiaries. Designed for individuals and entities who wish to purchase PHP or foreign local currencies for recipients who already maintain a bank account or digital wallet within their respective domestic financial systems.

The buyer does not hold the currency themselves. The purchased currency is delivered directly into the beneficiary’s existing account, ensuring the transaction remains entirely within BSP-regulated banking ecosystem.

Targeted Delivery Direct Integration Regulated Channels Compliance-First

Use Case

A father based in Korea supports his daughter studying in the Philippines via his domestic banking app.

① Initiation

The Korean bank processes the BUY request.

② Execution

The Philippine settlement bank executes the transaction using local payment rails.

③ Credit

Funds arrive instantly in the daughter's existing Philippine bank account.

02

Pillar 02

KEEP

Digital Custody of Philippine Peso and Foreign Currencies

A sophisticated evolution in digital banking, allowing for the direct holding of local and foreign currencies within the regulated banking ecosystem.

Specifically designed for individuals and institutions who wish to hold and manage currency in their own name, regardless of physical location. It empowers local banks to offer Filipino clients the ability to KEEP foreign currencies directly within their existing Philippine banking app.

Digital Wallets

PHP and foreign balances visible in real-time within existing apps.

Sovereign-Backed

Every held balance is anchored to the domestic banking system.

No New Infrastructure

Delivered inside the same banking window clients already use daily.

03

Pillar 03

SPEND

Global Utility and Merchant Settlement

Completes the DLC ecosystem. Bridges digital currency holdings to the real-world economy—allowing users to transact in PHP or foreign currencies whether they are physically present or remote.

When a local customer purchases from an international merchant in PHP, the local Philippine bank provides the Internet Payment Gateway (IPG). Settlement flows back into the foreign bank's local PHP account, keeping liquidity anchored domestically.

Program Highlights

B2B and B2C Integration

Airline-scale merchant settlement alongside individual retail spending.

IPG Empowerment

Local banks provide the compliant digital gateway for foreign merchants.

Reciprocal Spending

Foreigners spend PHP locally. Filipinos spend foreign currency abroad. No costly conversions.

For Philippine Banks

Why Participate

01

Retain Filipino Customers Globally

Filipinos abroad continue to bank with their Philippine institution—preventing migration to foreign fintech wallets.

02

Capture Cross-Border FX Revenue

Monetize every inbound and outbound currency conversion, corridor volume, and FX spread at scale.

03

Acquire New Foreign Liquidity

Foreign banks hold prefunded PHP accounts within the Philippine system—creating a low-cost, recurring deposit base.

04

Expand Without Physical Presence

Offer global services with no foreign branch, no additional licensing, no new infrastructure.

Onboarding

How to Join the Program

Open to Philippine banks and licensed fintech institutions. Members operate as regulated anchor institutions within the DLC framework.

  1. 1

    Act as a Liquidity Anchor Bank

  2. 2

    Maintain Settlement Infrastructure for PHP Corridors

  3. 3

    Integrate via API into the DLC Orchestration Layer

  4. 4

    Support Merchant Acquiring and Payment Gateway Services

  5. 5

    Collaborate on Regulatory Alignment with BSP

Expected Impact

Financial Outcomes

For a participating institution, the program creates multiple compounding revenue streams on top of existing infrastructure—with no foreign branch required.

FX Revenue

Recurring income from corridor-based flows and programmatic FX spreads at scale.

Deposit Base Growth

Increase in foreign-held PHP balances—a low-cost, recurring funding source.

Transaction Fee Income

Revenue from merchant settlement, payment gateway services, and B2C transactions.

Customer Retention

Reduced outflow of Filipino clients to offshore fintech wallets and foreign banks.

Governance

Philippine banks retain full customer ownership, balance sheet control, and compliance authority. DLC operates as program orchestrator—not a deposit-taking entity. All programs run in coordination with BSP.

The DLC Program enables Philippine banks to control cross-border currency access to PHP,

capture FX flows currently lost to offshore systems, and transform remittance corridors into scalable financial infrastructure.

Governance

Leadership Team

Tim Dhillon

Tim Dhillon

Chairman

Leads the strategic direction of the DLC program for the Philippine Peso. Key architect of the "Buy, Keep, and Spend" framework, focusing on enhancing national currency utility, maintaining domestic liquidity, and fostering collaboration between regulators and global payment networks.

Debrielle Mortola-Santos

Debrielle Mortola-Santos

CEO & Board Member

Responsible for the overall execution and strategic growth. Leads the development of the program's two-way service model, focusing on fostering domestic currency loyalty and strengthening the role of the Philippine Peso within international economic activity.

Jude Santos

Jude Santos

CTO & Board Member

Responsible for the technological vision and architectural integrity. Oversees the development of compliant digital channels connecting international institutions with the Philippine Peso ecosystem, allowing for seamless integration and strict regulatory alignment.