Philippines

Economy & industry overview

The Philippines is a lower-middle-income emerging market economy in Southeast Asia, ranked approximately 36th globally by nominal GDP. Its economy is driven by a large services sector (particularly IT-BPO, remittances, retail, and financial services) alongside electronics assembly manufacturing, which accounts for a significant share of exports. The agricultural sector, while declining as a share of GDP, remains an important employer in rural areas. Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) remittances are a major and structurally stable source of foreign exchange, consistently exceeding $30 billion annually. The country has sustained solid medium-term growth, though it faces challenges including high inflation pressures, infrastructure gaps, and vulnerability to typhoons and other natural disasters.

Key sectors

Learn everything about Philippines →

Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$437.00B
GDP growth real, annual	5.6%
Inflation annual	3.2%
Population people	117.0M
GDP per capita USD	$3,900
Market cap total listed, USD	$232.38B
Market cap / GDP	53.2%
Unemployment	3.8%
Listed companies	287
Exchange	Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE)

Data year: 2024. Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Economic Outlook, April 2026, World Bank Open Data, Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) – pse.com.ph, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), CEIC Data, Wikipedia – Economy of the Philippines, Wikipedia – Philippine Stock Exchange, FocusEconomics – Philippines, Worldometer GDP Philippines, Philippines Retirement Authority (PRA), Trading Economics – Philippines.

Local exchange & access

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

Local broker access

Foreign investors may access Philippine-listed equities through international brokers offering PSE market access (e.g. Interactive Brokers, some regional Asian brokers). Locally, COL Financial, BDO Securities, First Metro Securities, and AB Capital Securities are among the prominent PSE-accredited brokers. The PSE operates under a T+2 settlement cycle. Foreign ownership limits apply in certain sectors (e.g. public utilities, media, land). Foreign investors are subject to a 10% final withholding tax on dividends and a stock transaction tax of 0.60% on gross selling price on the PSE. No capital gains tax applies on PSE-listed equity sales.

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

Foreign nationals may apply for the Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV) through the Philippines Retirement Authority. The country uses English widely in business and government. Cost of living is relatively low by regional standards, particularly outside Metro Manila. Full foreign ownership of residential condominiums (up to 40% of units per building) is permitted; land ownership by foreigners is restricted under the Philippine Constitution. Healthcare quality varies significantly between Metro Manila and provincial areas. The Philippines does not have a standard digital nomad visa, though the SRRV and tourist visa extensions are commonly used by long-stay visitors.