Web3 entrepreneur Emmanuel Lorenzo Bonuan created a custom ChatGPT model designed to help users better understand the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) final rules on digital assets.
For Clarifications: A GPT for #CryptoPH on CASP Rules
As defined by ChatGPT creator OpenAI, a custom GPT is an AI model fine-tuned to perform specific tasks, including answering user queries, based on a predefined set of data and instructions.
For Bonuan’s custom GPT, known as “Legal Counsel for Web3 in the Philippines,” it is based on the SEC’s Memorandum Circular Numbers 4 and 5, Series of 2025, which are about the rules and guidelines for crypto-asset service providers (CASPs). The custom GPT is also trained from articles online, including those published by BitPinas, according to the creator.
Read BitPinas’ articles on the SEC CASP rules:
Bonuan, formerly active in the NFT and metaverse space through XOVOX Labs, said the project stemmed from personal need. With his health issues making it difficult to read lengthy legal documents, he built the model to quickly answer compliance questions in plain English.
Now operating under his new venture, Maiba Studio, Bonuan said the tool helps clarify whether common activities, such as wearing branded shirts or teaching about on-chain games, could fall under regulatory scrutiny.
“When the SEC’s memo on crypto-asset service providers dropped, I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a ton of reading, and my eyes are going to hate me.’ My eye condition makes it painful to stare at pages and pages of dense text.
So instead of forcing myself through the whole thing, I fine-tuned a GPT model on that exact SEC document. Now, whenever I (or anyone else) ask, ‘Will I be hunted down by the SEC for wearing a random we3 branded shirt in public?’ or ‘Will I be fined for owning tokens while teaching about games and tech on-chain in a class setting?’ The model gives a straight answer—no more eyeball torture trying to decode legalese. It turns confusing rules into quick, plain-English.”
Emmanuel Lorenzo Bonuan, Creator, Legal Counsel for Web3 in the Philippines GPT
Access the Legal Counsel for Web3 in the Philippines GPT here: https://bit.ly/ai-sec-tool
For #CryptoPH: Not Just a Search Engine
Bonuan also clarified that the model is specifically designed for the Philippine crypto landscape, helping users avoid confusion from U.S.-focused SEC content or outdated sources, and instead delivering clear, relevant guidance for Filipino Web3 builders.
“It is not like searching through forums or TikTok takes. You just ask, ‘When do I have to register?’ and it gives you the actual line from the rules.”
Emmanuel Lorenzo Bonuan, Creator, Legal Counsel for Web3 in the Philippines GPT
Thus, it is expected that the model will bridge the gap by turning legal jargon into plain language, providing immediate localized answers, simplifying complex regulatory language, and improving compliance awareness within the local crypto community.
Disclaimer: Utilize Only AI Tools, But They are Not a Substitute
However, Bonuan stressed that while the GPT model is trained directly on the SEC Memorandum on CASP rules, it is not a replacement for legal counsel.
“AI can help only as far as the basic knowledge of what the topic is, and specifically stick to prompts only from what its knowledge-base was trained on… The GPT model is a good way to reference the SEC memo and ask context-based questions, but for anything that is going to be tried in court, please seek out a living person for counsel.”
Emmanuel Lorenzo Bonuan, Creator, Legal Counsel for Web3 in the Philippines GPT
Bonuan then shared that AI tools, like his SEC-trained GPT model, can significantly improve financial literacy and regulatory awareness in the Philippines by making complex rules accessible to everyday users.
For Filipinos, whether solo developers, artists, or first-time traders, cannot afford legal consultations just to understand compliance requirements, he added that his GPT model offers quick, accurate answers to help them understand CASP necessities like registration, sponsorship disclosures, or penalties for non-compliance.
Background on the SEC CASP Rules
On May 30, 2025, the Philippine SEC released new and finalized rules requiring all businesses offering crypto-related services in the country to register and secure a license as CASPs.
To operate legally, a company must:
- Be a registered stock corporation
- Have at least ₱100 million in paid-up capital (excluding crypto assets)
- Submit documents like a risk disclosure matrix and a detailed business plan
The SEC can deny or revoke licenses if rules are violated, especially in cases of fraud or misleading promotions.
Penalties include:
- ₱10,000 fine for missing reports (plus ₱500 per day of delay)
- Up to ₱200,000 in fines for repeated violations
- Possible cancellation of registration
This article is published on BitPinas: Web3 Entrepreneur Builds AI Tool to Help Pinoys Understand SEC Final Crypto Rules
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