Philippines considering regulation for Bitcoin as number of transactions "rising very quickly"

The Philippines is considering regulations for digital currencies as the government seeks to bolster protection for the increasing number of overseas Filipinos using bitcoin and its counterparts to send money home.



The volume of transactions involving digital currencies is “rising very quickly” because they offer a cheaper and quicker way to move cash than through regular remittance channels, Nestor Espenilla, a deputy governor at the central bank, said in a Dec. 19 interview at his office in Manila.



“We are concerned with potential money laundering and consumer protection,” said Espenilla, who heads the central bank’s supervision and examination unit. “We are studying putting virtual currency exchange operators under a more formal regulatory framework.”



Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas estimates the volume of remittance transactions involving virtual currencies has risen to at least $2 million a month. While for now that represents a small proportion of the record $25.8 billion of funds Filipinos working abroad sent home last year, it signals the need to regulate the use of digital currencies, which are currently governed by a “mere advisory to the public” about their pros and cons, according to Espenilla.



“One class of operations framework that we’re looking at right now will allow virtual currencies to operate in the country, and that makes them accountable for certain matters like anti-money laundering initiatives,” he said.



Companies using virtual currencies to conduct business will likely be asked to conduct client checks, report suspicious transactions and send data to the central bank, Espenilla said.