How to Verify SEC Registration of Lending Companies in the Philippines

This guide is for general information only and isn’t legal advice.

Why verification matters

Legality & safety. Only SEC-licensed corporations may engage in the business of lending to the public. Dealing with an unlicensed lender exposes you to abusive practices and makes redress harder.
Two separate approvals. For lending (and financing) companies, there’s a company registration and a license: a Certificate of Incorporation/Registration (being a corporation) and a Certificate of Authority (CA) to operate as a Lending Company (or as a Financing Company, if that’s the case). You need both.

Who regulates what (so you check the right place)

SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission). Lending companies and financing companies (including most loan apps’ back-end companies).
BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas). Banks, pawnshops, and other BSP-supervised financial institutions. If the lender is a bank or pawnshop, verify with the BSP, not the SEC.
CDA (Cooperative Development Authority). Credit cooperatives (they lend only to their members).
Microfinance NGOs. These are SEC-registered non-stock corporations but licensed and monitored under the Microfinance NGO Act by the Microfinance NGO Regulatory Council.
DTI. Registers business names for sole proprietorships; a DTI certificate is not a lending license and does not substitute for SEC registration/CA.

What a legitimate SEC-licensed lending company must have

SEC Certificate of Incorporation/Registration
- Shows the corporate name, SEC registration number, and date of incorporation.
- Primary purpose typically states operating as a lending (or financing) company.
SEC Certificate of Authority to Operate as a Lending Company (or as a Financing Company)
- Separate document authorizing the company to actually do lending as a business.
- Issued by the SEC’s supervising department and remains valid unless revoked/suspended.
(If they use a loan app or website): Registered Online Lending Platform (OLP) details filed with the SEC.
- The app/website name, URLs, and corporate owner should match SEC filings.
Local permits & tax registration (supporting compliance, not substitutes): Mayor’s/Business Permit and BIR Certificate of Registration (Form 2303).

Tip: Many legitimate companies include “Lending” / “Lending Corp.” (or “Finance/Financing” for financing companies) in their corporate names, and they display the CA at their office and disclose corporate details inside the app or website.

The step-by-step verification playbook

A. Ask the lender for documents (and how to read them)

Request clear scans or photos of:

SEC Certificate of Incorporation/Registration
- Check: exact corporate name, SEC registration number, and date.
SEC Certificate of Authority as a Lending Company
- Check: same corporate name as the registration, issue date, and signatory.
- Confirm the CA is for “Lending Company” (not just incorporation).
If using an app/website: proof that the OLP is registered with the SEC (filing/acknowledgment naming the app/URL and the owning corporation).

Match all names across documents, website/app, receipts, and the contract. Watch for misspellings or shell names that don’t appear anywhere in the customer-facing materials.

B. Cross-check with public sources

Even without insider access you can usually confirm these items publicly:

SEC company lookup / lists. The SEC regularly publishes lists of registered and revoked/suspended lending/financing companies, and lists of registered online lending platforms per company.
SEC advisories & cease-and-desist orders. The SEC posts public warnings naming unregistered entities or abusive operators.
Direct inquiry. You can request an official certification or plain copies of filings from the SEC (fees apply).

Good practice: Verify both the corporate name and the app/brand name. The app name should be listed under the correct company; otherwise, treat as a red flag.

C. On-the-ground checks

Signage & disclosures. A legitimate lender typically displays its CA and corporate details at the office and clearly discloses rates/fees in the app or branch.
Receipts & contracts. The corporate name on the promissory note/loan agreement and official receipt should match the SEC-registered name (not just a brand).

Online loan apps: what to verify

Corporate owner of the app (shown in the app’s “About”/website footer/loan agreement).
SEC CA of that corporate owner (as a lending/financing company).
App/URL registration with the SEC for that exact app name/URL.
Contact details (physical office address, hotline/email) that trace back to the corporation.
Data practices: legitimate apps should not demand blanket access to contacts/photos unrelated to KYC. Overbroad permissions and “contact-list scraping” are classic red flags.

Red flags (treat as high-risk)

Only shows a DTI business name or LGU permit (no SEC docs).
Operates as a sole proprietorship or partnership while publicly offering loans as a business.
App/brand name does not match any SEC filing for the purported owner.
No physical address or uses vague addresses; no corporate email (only free webmail).
Demands upfront “processing” fees before any loan release without receipts.
Harassing/“debt-shaming” collection tactics; threats of arrest; contacting your employer/family about your debt.
Unclear or shifting interest/fees; can’t (or won’t) provide a written disclosure before you accept.

Key Philippine laws & rules you’ll bump into (what they mean for verification)

Lending Company Regulation Act of 2007 (RA 9474).
- Requires lending businesses to be corporations and to secure an SEC Certificate of Authority.
- Operating without a CA can lead to fines, penalties, and criminal liability for operators.
Financing Company Act of 1998 (RA 8556).
- Parallel regime for financing companies (often bigger-ticket or installment financing). They also need an SEC CA.
Truth in Lending Act (RA 3765).
- Borrowers must receive a clear written disclosure of the finance charges and effective interest rate before they’re bound. If a lender refuses to disclose, consider it a strong warning sign.
Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act (RA 11765).
- Establishes consumer rights to fair treatment, disclosure, protection of data/financial privacy, and access to redress from the regulator (for SEC-supervised entities).
SEC memorandum circulars on:
- Registration of Online Lending Platforms (OLPs) – requires each app/website a company uses to be registered with the SEC.
- Prohibition of Unfair Debt Collection Practices – bans harassment, public shaming, threatening arrest, contacting people in your phonebook, etc.
- Administrative sanctions – the SEC can suspend/revoke a CA and issue cease-and-desist orders.
Data Privacy Act (RA 10173).
- Limits how lenders/apps can collect and use your personal data; abusive data scraping/sharing can be actionable (reportable to the NPC).
Anti-Money Laundering Act (RA 9160, as amended).
- Lending/financing companies are generally covered persons (KYC and reporting obligations). A lender ignoring KYC is a red flag.

Quick checklists

Borrower’s 10-minute checklist

Corporate name of the lender (not just the app/brand).
SEC Certificate of Incorporation and SEC Certificate of Authority (copy/photo).
App/website listed as an SEC-registered OLP of that same company.
Written disclosure of total finance charges and effective interest rate (before you accept).
Office address and official contact channels.
No upfront cash fees before loan release.
No harassing or invasive permissions/collection practices.

Compliance packet you can ask for (corporate borrowers or due diligence)

SEC Certificate of Incorporation/Registration
SEC Certificate of Authority (Lending/Financing)
Latest General Information Sheet (GIS)
Articles of Incorporation & By-laws (primary purpose includes lending/financing)
OLP registration acknowledgment (for app/website)
Mayor’s Permit and BIR 2303
Standard loan contract and fee/interest schedule
Privacy notice and complaints procedure

What if the lender is unregistered or abusive?

Protect yourself. Stop sharing additional IDs, contacts, or payroll details. Take screenshots of chats, app permissions, and threats.
Report. File a complaint with the SEC (for lending/financing companies or loan apps). You may also report data abuses to the National Privacy Commission and harassment to PNP-ACG/NBI.
Repayment vs. redress. Your obligation to repay may still exist even if the lender is non-compliant, but penalties/charges and abusive collection may be contestable. Get legal advice early.
If your employer is contacted. Provide HR with a brief note explaining that public disclosure and workplace harassment over personal debts can breach SEC rules and data-privacy principles.

FAQs

Is a DTI business name certificate enough? No. It’s not a license to lend. Public lending as a business requires an SEC-licensed corporation with a CA.

Can an individual legally lend money? Private, occasional loans between individuals are generally allowed. But doing it as a business (habitually and for profit) requires forming a corporation and getting an SEC CA.

What’s the difference between a lending company and a financing company? They operate under different laws but both need SEC CAs. Financing companies often focus on installment financing, receivables purchases, or leasing; lending companies typically offer cash loans (secured or unsecured) directly to borrowers.

Does having an SEC company number mean they can lend? Not by itself. You need to see the separate Certificate of Authority expressly authorizing lending (or financing) operations.

Where do I verify a bank or pawnshop? With the BSP, not the SEC.

The app’s brand doesn’t match the company name. Is that okay? Only if the app/URL is registered with the SEC under that exact corporation. If you can’t tie the app name/URL to the company in SEC records, treat it as a red flag.

Copy-paste templates you can use

Short document request (email/chat):

Hello, before I proceed, please send clear copies of your SEC Certificate of Incorporation and SEC Certificate of Authority to Operate as a Lending Company, plus confirmation that this app/website is registered with the SEC under your corporation. Thank you.

Due-diligence request (corporate borrower):

Kindly provide: (1) SEC Certificate of Incorporation, (2) SEC Certificate of Authority (Lending/Financing), (3) latest GIS, (4) Articles & By-laws, (5) OLP registration acknowledgement for this app/URL, (6) Mayor’s Permit and BIR 2303, and (7) standard loan contract with full disclosure of fees/interest.

Bottom line

To verify a lending company in the Philippines, you must be able to:

Identify the corporate owner; 2) See the SEC company registration; 3) Confirm the SEC Certificate of Authority for lending/financing; and, if applicable, 4) Confirm the app/website is registered to that same company. If any of those pieces are missing or don’t match, walk away and consider reporting it.