How do I know if an online lending app is registered with the SEC?
Last updated: 2026-07-10 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
Check the SEC's published lists. Under RA 9474 §4, no lending company may operate without a Certificate of Authority from the Securities and Exchange Commission, and SEC Memorandum Circular 19 (2019) requires every online lending platform to be reported and recorded with the SEC. A legitimate app appears — by both its company name AND its specific app/brand name — on the SEC's list of registered financing/lending companies and recorded OLPs at sec.gov.ph; names flagged on the SEC's Advisories page are operating illegally. LabanPH cross-references these lists on each company profile it tracks.
Primary sources
Frequently asked
The company is registered but the app name isn't listed — is that a problem?
Yes. SEC MC 19 requires each online lending platform (the app/brand) to be separately disclosed and recorded. A registered financing company running an undisclosed app is itself a violation the SEC has penalized.
Where exactly do I look?
The SEC publishes a 'List of Recorded Financing and Lending Companies with Online Lending Platforms' and periodic Advisories naming unregistered lenders on sec.gov.ph. Match both the corporate name and the app name you downloaded.
Does being on the app store mean it's legal?
No. App-store availability is not SEC registration. Many entities named in SEC cease-and-desist orders were freely downloadable; only the SEC's own list confirms a Certificate of Authority.
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