As financial markets recover this year, GCash, the Philippines’ top finance app and largest cashless environment, wants to grow its stock investment platform user base. GCash partnered with AB Capital Securities, Inc. (ABCSI) in 2023 to offer GStocks PH to its millions of users, allowing them to diversify their portfolios and choose Philippine Stock Exchange securities.
Analysts expect the Philippine stock market to return in 2024. As headline prices decline, global central banks—including the US Federal Reserve—are likely to lower interest rates. This shift favors growth assets, notably stocks, fostering optimism.
“All of these would mean potential renewed interest in local stocks, especially as trading volume dried up in 2023. This might be the year that Philippine stocks start coming back to life, presenting a good opportunity for long-term investors to participate in the growth that local companies can offer over time,” explained Mark Ilao, Head of Market Education at GCash.
By being a trusted trading channel and providing timely investment insights and advice, GStocks PH builds investor trust.
“GStocks PH is a laudable innovation that allows consumers greater and wider access to the Capital Market that would otherwise be more challenging via traditional means. This is also in line with the Commission’s policy to further democratize wealth through equity participation which in turn strengthens the Philippine Stock Market,” said Commissioner Kelvin Lester K. Lee of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
GStocks PH lets GCash users register, top up, and invest in over 280 local PSE-listed firms all from the app. The Learning Hub, GCash’s latest wealth tool, offers bite-sized financial education. Going to GInvest from the main dashboard opens the Learning Hub for GCash users.
ABCSI reminds the public that all investments involve risk, but these may be controlled by actively researching stocks and diversifying portfolios.
