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Update: Just before this article is scheduled to be published, users of DITO internet shared that accessing Coinbase displays a message that the website has been blocked by the NTC.
The websites of Coinbase and Gemini, two of the world’s most prominent cryptocurrency exchanges, are currently inaccessible via major internet service providers (ISPs) in the Philippines as of December 23.
Independent tests conducted by BitPinas confirm that attempts to access coinbase.com and gemini.com via Globe Telecom and PLDT are failing; They trigger security errors consistent with government-mandated blocking.
The restrictions coincide with confirmation by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that it has ordered the immediate blocking of 50 online trading platforms without VASP (Virtual Assets Service Provider) license at the request of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
Both the BSP and Coinbase have been contacted for this article.
Technical Signs of a Block
While the NTC has not released the names of the 50 platforms, data points to a deliberate ISP-level interception rather than a server outage.
Credentials Error
In tests conducted on local networks, attempting to load these websites returns a NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error. The browser warns that the website sent back “unusual and incorrect credentials,” indicating that the server presenting itself is not the real Coinbase or Gemini.
This specific error occurs when an ISP intercepts the connection to redirect the user to a blocking server. Because the blocking server cannot produce the valid security certificate for coinbase.com, the browser detects the mismatch and blocks the connection.
HSTS
Crucially, users cannot bypass this warning. Both Coinbase and Gemini utilize HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS):
- How it works: HSTS tells browsers to never accept a fake or mismatched ID for the site.
- The Result: When the ISP intercepts the connection, the browser treats it as a potential cyberattack and terminates the session immediately. This prevents the “This Site is Blocked” landing page from loading, leaving users with a generic HSTS error message.
This technical pattern mirrors the mechanism observed during the Binance ban earlier this year, where the interception was later confirmed to be sourced from ISP-managed blocking servers (such as forbiddenaccess.globe.com.ph seen in other blocked sites).
Context: The NTC’s Order on ‘50 Unlicensed Platforms’
The timing of these outages aligns with the NTC’s enforcement action announced last December 22, 2025.
The NTC said it instructed ISPs to disable access to 50 unnamed entities identified by the BSP as “unregistered Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs)”.
The order was issued under BSP Circular No. 1206, which aims to prevent the operation of entities that do not possess the necessary licenses to operate in the country. (Read more: NTC Orders Blocking of 50 Unlicensed Crypto Platforms Following BSP Directive; Clarifies Amid IBKR Issue)
Disclosure: AI has been used to assist in developing the story.
This article is published on BitPinas: Coinbase, Gemini, More Crypto Platforms Inaccessible in PH Amid NTC Crackdown
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