Commercial Banking
Foreign ownership
This activity is not on the 12th Foreign Investment Negative List. A foreign investor may hold up to 100%, subject to the minimum-capital rules below.
Recommended route
Foreign-owned corporation
Up to 100% foreign equity (SEC)
One Person Corporation
A single foreign owner
Branch office
Extension of a foreign parent
Entity types
Which structure fits depends on your goal. Rows that suit this activity are highlighted. Open a row for the full detail.
| Structure | 100% foreign | Sell locally | No PH partner | No capital floor | No entity | Min. capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic corporationFits | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | USD 200k |
| One Person CorporationFits | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | USD 200k |
| Branch officeFits | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | USD 200k |
| Representative officeFits | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | USD 30k |
| Local corporation, minority foreign | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | Lower / none |
| Employer of RecordFits | – | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | None |
| Product holdingFits | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | None |
Registration path
- 1
SEC
Incorporate the entity
- 2
BIR
Tax registration and books
- 3
LGU
Barangay clearance and Mayor’s permit
- 4
Regulator
Sector license, if the activity needs one
Emerhub files each step with the government; you provide the documents and information.
Minimum paid-up capital
| Situation | USD | PHP |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic-market enterprise (>40% foreign)Paid-up capital for foreign equity above 40% serving the local market. Legal basis: FIA (RA 7042 as amended). | $200,000 | ≈ ₱11.4M |
| Reduced thresholdAt least 50 direct employees, or advanced technology. Legal basis: FIA (RA 7042 as amended). | $100,000 | ≈ ₱5.7M |
| Export enterpriseExports at least 60% of output. Legal basis: Corporation Code (RA 11232). | ≈ $88 | ₱5,000 |
| Retail trade enterpriseMinimum paid-up capital for foreign retail. Legal basis: RA 11595. | ≈ $439k | ₱25,000,000 |
Bold is the figure the law sets; the other column is an approximate conversion at ₱57 to USD 1.
Licenses & product holding
Alongside SEC incorporation, this activity needs the following regulatory license or product registration before it can legally operate in the Philippines.
- Sector license
BSP Certificate of Authority - Bank
Operating as a universal, commercial, thrift, private development, rural, cooperative, or Islamic bank requires a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Certificate of Authority and bank license under the General Banking Law of 2000 (RA 8791) and the New Central Bank Act (RA 7653, as amended by RA 11211), plus minimum capitalization set by BSP.