Philippine SEC Issues VERITAS Rules for Blockchain-Signed Corporate Filings

What the new circular covers

The circular was signed by SEC Chairperson Francisco Ed. Lim on July 27, 2026. It governs the use of VERITAS, short for Verification of Electronic Records and Information Trust and Authentication System, which the SEC said allows corporate representatives to digitally sign and verify SEC-related filings through a decentralized ledger.

VERITAS is available through the SEC Check mobile application and works alongside the Electronic SEC Universal Registration Environment, or eSECURE, the commission’s digital identity system. The rules apply to credentialed eSECURE account holders, including incorporators, directors, corporate officers, and other authorized representatives filing documents with the SEC.

The article cited examples of covered records such as Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, and Certificates of Authentication.

How signing and verification work

Under the guidelines, signing activity on VERITAS is recorded on a blockchain using public-key cryptography and cryptographic hashing. According to the SEC, this is intended to create a permanent audit trail and help prevent later alteration of documents.

The circular says only digital signing certificates generated on-chain by VERITAS can be used inside the platform. Commercial certificates issued externally are not allowed for VERITAS transactions.

After all required signatories have executed a document, the SEC adds a Philippine National Public Key Infrastructure Agency Certificate seal issued by the Department of Information and Communications Technology, along with a QR code. The system then stores version hashes of the document on the blockchain.

Key custody and user responsibility

The SEC said users are fully responsible for safeguarding and backing up their private keys. The commission does not keep copies of those private keys and will not recover lost credentials, according to the circular.

That makes key management a central operational requirement for companies and representatives choosing to use the platform. While the system is tied to SEC filing workflows, responsibility for access credentials remains with the user rather than the regulator.

Legal effect of VERITAS-signed filings

The commission said documents signed through VERITAS have the same legal force and enforceability as signed and notarized paper documents under Republic Act No. 8792, the Electronic Commerce Act. For submissions executed through VERITAS, physical hard copies are no longer required unless another law or an SEC rule specifically requires them.

Use of the platform is currently voluntary and free of charge. However, the SEC said it may impose fees later to help cover infrastructure costs.

What remains in place

The SEC also said its existing Philippine National Public Key Infrastructure-based authentication process through the Electronic Submission Authentication Portal, or eSAP, will remain available. At the same time, the commission reserved the option to require VERITAS for certain entities or filing types in the future, subject to public consultations.

The move sets out a formal compliance path for blockchain-backed document execution within the SEC’s filing system, while leaving room for a broader rollout later if the regulator decides to expand mandatory use.