DragonFi First Broker-Dealer Approved for Global Equities Access in PH

MANILA, Philippines — DragonFi Securities Inc. has become the first Philippine broker-dealer authorized under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulatory sandbox to offer local investors access to pre-approved global equities and exchange-traded funds through an over-the-counter depositary receipt model. The stock brokerage arm of Edgar “Injap” Sia’s DoubleDragon Corp. received SEC approval to enter the commission’s strategic sandbox, an initiative that provides a controlled environment to test groundbreaking financial solutions while maintaining market integrity, financial stability and robust investor protection. DragonFi said a defining feature of its framework is that international diversification is directly tied to participation in the Philippine capital markets. It said users’ global investment limits are directly linked to their Philippine investments to drive growth and participation in the local capital market. Investors with certified domestic holdings can access pre-approved foreign offerings of up to 50 percent of their value, while users maintaining (PERA) holdings may invest up to 100 percent of the equivalent Philippine investment value. Through arrangements with premier global financial institutions, DragonFi said it holds international securities and cash assets within robust, segregated institutional custody frameworks. It said local client funds also remain strictly segregated and safeguarded with registered, licensed domestic institutions, ensuring comprehensive asset protection at every level of the investment chain. “This is a defining milestone for DragonFi and for Philippine investors. Filipinos should be able to participate in the world’s largest capital markets through a structure that is locally regulated, transparent and built with investor protection at its core,” DragonFi chief executive officer Jon Carlo Lim said. Lim said the model creates a direct incentive for investors to build their Philippine portfolios as they diversify internationally. “We believe that is the right model for the country: giving Filipinos access to more opportunities globally while bringing greater participation and liquidity into the Philippine market,” he said. DragonFi said it would begin phased sandbox testing after the SEC finalizes and validates its amended testing plan and client suitability protocols. It said initial testing would commence with a strictly monitored cohort before expanding user access. DragonFi is also the first SEC-accredited PERA administrator in the Philippines.