Binance is making a carefully choreographed return to the Philippines. The world’s largest crypto exchange has partnered with Philippine fintech firm BlockShoals Technologies to operate under the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission regulatory sandbox, known as StratBox.
The exchange faced regulatory restrictions in the Philippines between 2023 and 2024 for operating without proper authorization. Now it’s taking the compliance-first route, with BlockShoals serving as the approved local intermediary that will facilitate compliant testing of Binance’s digital asset services.
How the StratBox framework works
StratBox was established through SEC Memorandum Circular No. 9, Series of 2024. It’s a controlled environment where fintech companies can live-test their products under direct supervisory oversight. The testing window runs for up to 24 months.
The SEC granted BlockShoals in-principle approval for StratBox participation on November 12, 2025. That makes BlockShoals the fourth entity admitted to the program.
