Ayala-backed mobile e-wallet GCash will roll out a new feature by year's end that would let users conveniently trade stocks, encouraging more investors to venture into the equities market.

In an event, Tuesday afternoon, GCash president and CEO Martha Sazon announced that the feature — powered by AB Capital Securities and in collaboration with the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. — will help uncover the market's digital potential.

"More Filipinos can now invest in stocks, thanks to its game-changing capabilities. GStocks will democratize stock trading in the country by making it accessible to GCash's 66 million users. This trailblazing development is, of course, in line with our vision of 'Finance for All,'" Sazon said.

GStocks will have users buy and sell local shares in real-time, monitor pending trades; monitor portfolio performance and returns via a dashboard; access the stock watch list, direct research reports, real-time quotes, and live charts.

Likewise, it will give users access to analytics, news, and disclosures, and daily and weekly market reports.

Big bash next year

Once the feature is rolled out this year, GCash said an official nationwide launch will follow in early 2023. By then, close to 300 publicly-listed companies in the PSE will be accessible for trading via the mobile application.

According to AB Capital Group chairperson and CEO Antonio Jose Periquet, the initiative would help "ordinary Filipinos grow their wealth by offering them the opportunity to own shares of publicly listed Philippine companies."

"It's next level accessibility, affordability, assistance, and experience," he said.

For his part, PSE president and CEO Ramon S. Monzon said the partnership will further accelerate retail investor participation in the PSE.

The latest PSE data showed that the Philippine equities industry has a value turnover of P2.23 trillion spread across 1.6 million stock market accounts as of December 2021. Many of these traders aged from 18 to 44 earned less than P500,000 per year.