Google Play Store Removes Binance App in Philippines Following SEC Request

The Google Play Store in the Philippines no longer hosts the main Binance mobile application following recent regulatory actions.

A search for “Binance” on the marketplace now only displays results for local competitors or region-specific versions of the app intended for other countries, such as Thailand or Turkey.

This removal aligns with escalating enforcement measures by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

In 2024, the SEC formally requested that both Google and Apple remove the Binance app from their Philippine marketplaces, citing the exchange’s lack of a necessary license to sell or offer securities to the public.

The commission noted this as a violation of the Securities Regulation Code.

Concurrent with the app’s removal, users attempting to access the platform via web browsers have reported severe connectivity errors.

Many encountered “Privacy Errors” or “Site can’t be reached” messages, suggesting that internet service providers are no longer resolving the domain name correctly.

This digital blockade effectively severs the connection between local users and the exchange’s servers.

The SEC initiated the crackdown in late 2023 by issuing an advisory that warned the public that Binance lacked the authority to operate in the country.

Following a three-month grace period, the regulator moved to block access to the website and associated pages.

Standard store mechanisms will no longer support new downloads or consistently provide official updates to existing users following this latest development.

The SEC has indicated that it continues to monitor and block other unlicensed offshore exchanges operating within the Philippines.

The app however, is still available on Apple App Store, sources confirmed.

Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Philippines based on an image by RSplaneta via Freepik.

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