Philippines

Economy & industry overview

The Philippines is a lower-middle-income Southeast Asian economy with nominal GDP of approximately USD 491 billion in 2025, supported by remittances from approximately 10 million overseas Filipino workers, a large business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, and robust domestic consumption. Real GDP growth was 4.4% in 2025, below government targets, as global trade headwinds, peso depreciation, and elevated borrowing costs weighed on investment. The economy is dominated by services — including financial services, retail trade, and IT-BPO — while manufacturing, infrastructure construction, and agriculture remain significant contributors. The Philippine Stock Exchange is home to large family-controlled conglomerates spanning banking, real estate, retail, and utilities, with port operator ICTSI notable for its global footprint extending well beyond the Philippines. The remittance sector contributes roughly 8–9% of GDP annually, making the Philippines one of the world's top remittance-receiving economies.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$491.00B
GDP growth real, annual	4.4%
Inflation annual	1.7%
Population people	116.8M
GDP per capita USD	$4,208
Market cap total listed, USD	$233.00B
Market cap / GDP	47.5%
Unemployment	4.7%
Listed companies	283
Exchange	Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE)

Data year: 2025. Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook April 2026 (Philippines GDP, growth), Philippine Statistics Authority – GDP Q1 2025 release (real growth 5.4% Q1, full year 4.4%), PSE Year-End 2025 Market Statistics – pse.com.ph (domestic market cap PHP 13.65 trillion), companiesmarketcap.com – Largest Philippine companies by market cap (accessed June 2026), topforeignstocks.com – Full list of Philippines ADRs (accessed June 2026), iShares EPHE fact sheet March 2026 (expense ratio 0.59%, top holdings), GlobalX ASEA fund page (expense ratio 0.65%), Vanguard VWO fund page (expense ratio 0.08%), Philippine Retirement Authority – pra.gov.ph (SRRV deposit schedules, Sept 2025 revisions), Board of Investments Philippines – SIRV minimum investment USD 75,000, ASEANBRIEFING – Foreign ownership rules in the Philippines, Respicio & Co – Can foreigners buy stocks in the Philippines, Exchange-rates.org – USD/PHP 2025 average rate ~57.5 PHP/USD, Worldometer – Philippines population 2025 ~116.8 million (est.), PSE marks last trading day 2025 press release (pse.com.ph), Brokerchooser – Interactive Brokers Philippines availability (Oct 2025), Brokerchooser – Saxo Bank Philippines availability (Oct 2025), SM, BDO lead 7 Filipino firms in 2025 Forbes Global 2000 (Tribune PH, June 2025).

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Philippine Stock Exchange
Code	PSE
Website	www.pse.com.ph
Currency	PHP

Local broker access

Interactive Brokers does not currently accept Philippines-resident clients (as of 2025) but does offer PSE-listed stocks and Philippine ADRs to clients based in other eligible countries via OTC and international market access. Saxo Bank similarly does not accept Philippines-based retail clients. Foreign investors outside the Philippines can access PSE stocks through select global brokers with Asia-Pacific market access (e.g., Interactive Brokers for non-Philippine residents). For direct access to the PSE, foreigners residing in the Philippines must use a locally licensed stockbroker registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the Philippines; major local online brokers include COL Financial, First Metro Securities, BDO Nomura, and BPI Trade. Account opening typically requires a government-issued ID, proof of address, and a BSP-registered investment account for fund repatriation purposes.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only — not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

The Philippine Constitution caps foreign ownership of shares in most domestic corporations at 40%, though 100% foreign ownership is permitted in many sectors not listed on the Foreign Investment Negative List. Certain industries — mass media, land ownership, retail trade below specified thresholds, and public utilities — have stricter or complete restrictions on foreign equity. Foreign residents wishing to invest directly in PSE-listed stocks must open an account with a PSE-accredited stockbroker; this requires proof of identity, tax identification, and foreign currency registration with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for repatriation of capital and dividends. Foreign individuals may also invest through licensed online brokers that have PSE market access agreements, though the availability of international platforms varies. Dividends paid to non-resident foreign shareholders are subject to a 25% withholding tax (reduced to 15% under applicable tax treaties).