Frequently Asked Questions

Unicapital Securities, Inc. (USI) is a leading full-service securities brokerage house licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is a bona fide member of the Philippine Stock Exchange. Since we opened our doors in 1997, we have been able to successfully establish ourselves as an active player in the trading of equity securities.s.

UTrade PH is part of the Unicapital Group of Companies, together with Unicapital Inc. and Unicapital Finance and Investments, Inc. We are a majority-owned subsidiary of Unicapital, Inc., which is a duly registered Philippine investment house that provides the full complement of investment banking products and services. Our sister company Unicapital Finance and Investments, Inc. is a duly registered finance company that offers both traditional and innovative loan products and services to both corporations and retail clients. As it has been for the past 40 years, UFII continues to be a trusted financing institution in the industry.

UTrade is the online stock trading platform of Unicapital Securities, Inc. Through our reliable platform, clients can conveniently trade (buy and sell) stocks listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange. UTrade is not just a trading tool because we offer daily research reports and access to real-time market information. Our goal is to offer you the customer experience you want – from platform to service.

Unicapital Securities is located at the 3rd Floor of Majalco Building, Benavidez cor. Trasierra Streets, Legaspi Village, Makati City.
Contact us at:
Email: equities@unicapital-inc.com / utrade@unicapital-inc.com
Telephone: (632) 823-5344 / 892-0991 to 96
Mobile: +63999-8857616

Can anyone open an online account?

Yes, any individual of legal age, whether Filipino or of foreign nationality can open an online account with Unicapital Securities, Inc. (USI), provided that all required documents are duly submitted and are acceptable according to the standards set by USI and of the rules and regulations prescribed by the law. USI, however, reserves the right to reject an application as it sees fit.

How do I open an account?

1. Click the REGISTER NOW button on the homepage.

2. Fill up the UTrade online trading account application forms with your information. Alternatively, you may also download the required forms by clicking on the links below. Please print and fill up all required information.

UTrade Account-Opening Form

3. Print and affix your signature in the required fields on the following forms:
– Account-opening form
– Online Trading Service Agreement
– Two (2) Signature Cards

4. Collate your application documents and requirements. Submit at least one (1) valid identification document based on the list given below:
– Driver’s License
– Passport
– Digitized SSS/GSIS ID
– Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID)
– Voter’s ID
– Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) ID
– Postal Identity Card
– Senior Citizen’s ID
In the absence of a primary ID, you may, however, temporarily submit at least two (2) secondary identification documents. Refer to the list given below:
– Government office ID – if employed
– PhilHealth ID
– Pag-IBIG ID
– Tax Identification Number (TIN)
– Seaman’s Book
– OFW ID
– OWWA ID
– Police or NBI Clearance
– Barangay Certificate
– Birth Certificate
– Certification from the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP)
– Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

Note: For foreign or local individuals who are residing abroad and opening the accounts from abroad, the Philippine Consulate/Embassy must authenticate the above documents where the account holder/s is/are located.

For foreign individuals, aside from the UTrade account-opening forms (Online Trading Application Form, Online Trading Service Agreement and Two (2) signature cards), the additional requirements are as follows:

– Resident Foreigners
o Proof of Identification
o Photocopy of two (2) valid identification documents (IDs) issued by the Philippine or foreign government (photo and signature on the IDs should be clear). IDs shall be authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate
o Alien certificate of registration (ACR) or business certificate or work permit from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
o Billing Statement (name, address and date should be present in the statement)

– Non-Resident Foreigners
o Proof of Identification

– Additional Requirements for both Resident and Non-Resident Foreigners
o Photocopies of 2 valid identification documents (IDs) issued by the foreign government (photo and signature on the ID should be clear). IDs shall be authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate
o Billing Statement (name, address and date should be present in the statement)
o Bank Certification (certifying the existence of the account and third party representation that the bank conducted face-to-face contact with the client or depositor as required by the revised AMLA series of 2010 and BSP Circular No. 706 Section X806.1e.3) – Foreign Bank Account

5. Submit application documents and requirements to:

Manila Office:
Attention: UTrade Team – Unicapital Securities, Inc.
3/F Majalco Building, Benavidez corner 
Trasierra Streets, Legaspi Village 
Makati City 1229

Note: Please send your original documents. We cannot accept scanned or faxed copies.

Once you have submitted your forms and other requirements, we will send you an email on the ways in which you can fund your account. You will need to fund your account to start trading. (See also “Funding My Account”). Your online account will be processed and fully approved once the account-opening deposit has been received and confirmed. You will receive an email notification once your account has been activated.

What is the minimum initial deposit to open a UTrade account?

The minimum initial deposit required is ten thousand Philippine pesos. (Php 10,000.00)

How can I fund my UTrade online account?

You can fund your UTrade account via Over-the-Counter Deposit or Online Banking Payments at any of the banks listed below:

Account Name: Unicapital Securities, Inc.
Banco de Oro: S/A 360-000079-3
Bank of the Philippine Islands: C/A 321-1084986
China Banking Corp.: C/A 115143791-6

1. Over-the-Counter Deposit
At any branch of BDO, BPI or Chinabank, fill out the bank deposit slip and proceed to the counter for payment. Please specify your full name and UTrade OL code in the payor’s name of the deposit slip.

Please see link below for the detailed guidelines on how you can fund your account via over-the-counter deposit.

Over-the-counter Funding

2. Online Payment
You can also fund your account via an Online Transfer or ATM Funding. The online banking process may vary depending on the bank. Please see the link below for the detailed process on how you can fund your account via an online transfer. You will need to enroll Unicapital Securities, Inc. as a biller before you can fund your account via online transfer.

Online Funding

ATM Funding

For immediate crediting to your UTrade account, send a screenshot of your deposit slip or online transaction slip to deposits@unicapital-inc.com.

3. Over-the-Counter Payment at the USI Business Center
You may visit our office during office hours from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, from Monday to Friday to make your check deposits/payments. Please note that cash should be deposited to the banks maintained by USI. Our business addresses are:

Manila Office:
Attention: UTrade Team – Unicapital Securities, Inc.
3/F Majalco Building, Benavidez corner 
Trasierra Streets, Legaspi Village 
Makati City 1229

4. Wire Fund Transfer to USI Bank Accounts
If you are based outside the Philippines, you can wire funds to the USI bank accounts using the remittance instructions given below:

Account Name : Unicapital Securities, Inc.
Account Number : S/A 360-000079-3
Name of Bank : Banco de Oro
Branch : Ayala Triangle
Swift Code : BNORPHMM

Account Name :Unicapital Securities, Inc.
Account Number : C/A 321-1084986
Name of Bank : Bank of the Philippine Islands
Branch : Corinthian Plaza
Swift Code : BOPIPHMM

Account Name :Unicapital Securities, Inc.
Account Number : C/A 115143791-6
Name of Bank : China Banking Corp.
Branch : Legaspi-AIM
Swift Code : CHBKPHMM

Note: In accordance with the clearing cycle of the banks, check payments/deposits shall be credited to your account three (3) days after the payment/deposit has been made.

5. Over-the-Counter Payment at MLhuillier branch

At any branch of MLhuillier, fill out the transaction slip and proceed to the counter for payment. Please specify the following details under the Bills Payment:

Biller: UTrade/Unicapital Securities, Inc.
Reference Number: Your OL CODE
Type of Transaction: Renewal/Top up

Please note that service fees to be charged by MLhuillier will be on top of your deposited amount. Fees may vary depending to the amount to be transferred.

How can I transfer my shares of stock from another stock brokerage?

Instead of a cash or check deposit, you also have the option of transferring your existing stockholdings from another stock brokerage to your UTrade account. To do this, you must give your local stockbroker written instructions to transfer your existing stockholdings to USI.

Please furnish USI (Attention: Settlements Department) a copy of the written instruction and USI will coordinate the transfer with your existing stockbroker.

Your current brokerage may have its own form for this purpose. Please call and request for the appropriate document.

When can I start trading?

You can begin trading once your account has been funded and activated. Upon approval and activation, you will receive an email notification indicating your username and default password.

How do I start trading online?

1. Entering Orders

– In the TRADING tab Click on TRADING to enter the order entry section. Click on NEW ORDER, enter the order details in step 1 then click on PREVIEW ORDER. You will be prompted to key-in your password in step 2 for confirmation. Step 3 will provide instructions on how to check the order status.

– In the QUOTES tab Under the “QUOTES” tab, you can enter the stock code in the “STOCK INFO”. There is a BUY and SELL button that can immediately take you to the order page. For the “MAIN QUOTE” section, there is a 5-tiered MULTIPLE BID page where you can view several stocks at the same time. There is a BID AND ASK section where the volume of all the buyers and sellers for a particular stock can be viewed. On every page, there’s a BUY and SELL button beside each stock code that can immediately take you to the order page.

– Hover over the DISPLAY button and click ON for both the trades ticker and the extended view. Doing so will open the trades ticker and will display the QUICKTRADE panel on the right wherein you can easily buy and sell stock with a shortcut to the “TRADING” section. There are also shortcut buttons to immediately view orders, trades, and stock position.

2. Viewing Orders

– The status of your orders can be viewed in the VIEW ORDERS section of the TRADING tab with their respective order details. There are separate windows for OPEN, MATCHED, CANCELLED and REJECTED orders. Your stock portfolio can also be viewed in this section.

3. Modification of Orders

– You can cancel or edit your orders through VIEW ORDERS under TRADING tab. Click on the button corresponding to the order you want to cancel or edit then click CANCEL or EDIT. You will then be asked for your password to confirm your request and then click “CANCEL” or “EDIT”.

What fees do I pay for every transaction?

1. BUY Transactions

– UTrade charges the following for a BUY transaction
o Commission: 0.25% of the gross value or a minimum commission of P20.00 for accounts without an assigned agent or broker. For accounts handled by an agent or broker, commission rates may vary.
o Value Added Tax: 12% of the commission charge
o Transaction Fee: 0.005% of gross trade value
o SCCP Fee: 0.01% of gross trade value
o EW Tax: 10% of the commission (FOR INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTS)

2. SELL Transactions

– UTrade charges the following for a SELL transaction
o Commission: 0.25% of the gross value or a minimum commission of P20.00 for accounts without an assigned agent or broker. For accounts handled by an agent or broker, commission rates may vary.
o Value Added Tax: 12% of the commission charge
o Transaction Fee: 0.005% of gross trade value
o SCCP Fee: 0.01% of gross trade value
o Sales Tax: 0.60% of trade value
o EW Tax: 10% of the commission (FOR INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTS)

What are the fees that may be charged to the customer?

1. EQ Trade IN Fee (Securities Transfer: Broker to Broker)
– Php 75.00 per company/stock per broker

2. EQ Trade Out Fee (Securities Transfer: Broker to Broker)
– Php 200.00 per company/stock per broker

3. Mail/Courier Fee
– Php 200.00 per deliveries

4. Upliftment Fee (Certificate Request)
– Php 220.00 per certificate

5. Lodgment Fee (Certificate Deposit)
– Php 100.00 per stock issue plus additional Php 77.00 per stock certificate

6. Stock Investment Certification (for Visa/General Purpose)
– Php 100.00 per request

7. Certified true copy of SOA
– Php 100.00 per request

8. Bank charges (Interbank deposit)
– USI will charge depending on the bank

Is there a minimum volume per trade?

Trading in the PSE is done by board lot. This dictates the minimum number of shares you can buy, depending on the price of the stock at the time of purchase. The price fluctuation and board lot chart is available in the website, under the TRADING tab

What stocks can I trade?

You can trade (buy/sell) any stock listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange.

What are the trading hours? Am I limited to posting orders only during trading hours?

Official trading hours are from 9:00am to 11:59am and from 1:30pm to 3:30pm from Monday-Friday, except on holidays. Orders can be sent in off-hours and they will be sent to the PSE during market pre-open or posting period the following day.

9:00-9:29am Market Pre-Open Clients can enter orders but no matching happens at this time. Clients cannot cancel or modify orders.
9:30am Market Open
9:30-11:59am Trading Orders are queued and matched at the best price when they are
entered into the order book and a counterpart is found.
12:00-1:29pm Market Recess Clients cannot post, modify, or cancel orders.
1:30-3:16pm Trading Orders are queued and matched at the best price when they are
entered into the order book and a counterpart is found.
3:17pm Market Pre-Close Clients can enter orders but no matching or orders happens at
this time. Clients cannot cancel or modify orders.
3:20pm Closing
3:20pm Market Run-off Clients can enter limit orders at at the closing prices.
3:30pm Market Close

Can I cancel or edit orders I previously made?

Yes, orders can be cancelled or modified provided they have not yet been matched.

Can I post orders which remain active for more than one day?

Yes, you can post Good-till-month (GTM) or Good-till-week (GTW) orders. A GTM order means it remains active for one month. A GTW order is active for 7 calendar days. If you have a posted order that is not matched after trading hours, unless it is a GTW or GTM order, the funds will be credited back to your online account.

If I sell my stocks today, can I use the funds to buy other stocks immediately?

Yes, you may buy other stocks immediately once a sell order has been matched.
Take note that you can only purchase stocks up to the amount of the net proceeds of the selling transaction.

How do I receive my confirmations of trade and statement of accounts?

Confirmations of trade will be sent to your UTrade account the following trading day after a trade has been made. You will be able to view or download the confirmations once you are logged in. Your statements of account will be sent to your online account after the end of each month. You will be able to view or download the confirmations once you are logged in. You must have a PDF viewer, such as Adobe Acrobat, installed in your PC or terminal where you are logged in.

How do I withdraw funds from my online account?

To request for withdrawal of your funds, log on to your UTrade account. In the MAIN tab, click on WITHDRAWAL in the main menu dropdown or the WITHDRAW FUNDS link below your account balances.

Please note that requested withdrawals of your selling proceeds are subject to approval. Once approved, withdrawal requests will be subjected to 3 business days processing. Checks from approved withdrawals will be deposited directly to the bank settlement account as indicated in your Online Trading Account Application Form.

How do I change my password?

Log-in to the UTrade platform using your current username and password. On the MAIN tab, click on PROFILE; enter your current password followed by your new password. Confirm your new password by re-entering it in the confirm password box. Click on the update button to save your new password.

You can now log-in using your new password.

What steps can I take if I forget my username and/ password?

On the main homepage, click the “Forget Username” or “Forget Password” buttons beside the login button. Fill up the required items, answer the security question previously given and click the button “Done”. A new password, which is system-generated, will be sent to you via email. If you wish to change this new system-generated password, you can go to “My Profile” to change this.

How do I convert my shares to certificates?

This process is called Upliftment. The request for conversion of shares to certificates shall follow the following procedures:

1. Fill up the Request for Upliftment form.
2. Secure and fill-up a Signature Card from the USI Business Center.
3. Submit the accomplished and signed Request for Upliftment Form and Signature Card together with copies of your latest valid IDs.
4. Pay the appropriate Upliftment Fee which is P220.00 for every stock certificate. This can be charged to your online account provided your account has sufficient cash balance to cover the upliftment fee.

At times, the Transfer Agent may require you to personally appear in their office. We will notify you if this is required. Processing may take one (1) to three (3) months depending on the Transfer Agent. We will notify you once the stock certificates are available for release. If the certificates will be picked up by a representative, please make sure that he/she can present a valid ID and a duly signed Authorization to Pick-up Certificate Form.

How do I transfer my stockholdings from my UTrade account to another stockbroker?

This process is called EQ Trade. The request to transfer stockholdings from USI to another stockbroker electronically shall follow the following procedures:

1. Fill up the Request for EQ Trade form.
2. Submit the accomplished and signed Request for EQ Trade form. We recommend that you also furnish your receiving broker with a copy of the Request for EQ Trade form or send them a separate instruction.
3. Pay the appropriate EQ Trade fee which is P75.00 per stock regardless of the number of shares. This can be charged to your online account provided your account has sufficient cash balance to cover the EQ Trade fee.

Electronic transfers are accomplished in one to two working days or depending on the counter execution of the receiving stockbroker.

How do I sell my existing stock certificates?

Should you wish to sell your existing stock certificates, these should first be converted into scriptless form before your stocks can be traded in the Exchange. This process is called Lodgment. Please take note of the following reminders and procedures:

1. The name appearing in the stock certificate/s should have the same name as that appearing in your online account.
2. The duly endorsed stock certificates should be submitted to the USI Business Center/Office.
3. Secure and fill-up a signature card from the USI Business Center (1 signature card per stock).
4. Submit copies of your latest valid IDs.
5. Pay the appropriate lodgement fee which is P177.00 for the first certificate and additional P77.00 for every succeeding certificate (per stock basis).

Processing will take 3 to 5 business days upon receipt of the documents or depending on the processing time of the Transfer Agent or if there are no discrepancies with the requirements. Once the shares are cleared, it will be credited to your online account. You may sell the shares once it is posted and appears in your online account.

How do I contact Unicapital Securities/UTrade?

You can contact Unicapital Securities/UTrade at the contact details below:

Manila Office:
Address: 3/F Majalco Building, Benavidez corner Trasierra Streets, Legaspi Village Makati City
Landline: 892-0991/823-5344
Email: utrade@unicapital-inc.com/equities@unicapital-inc.com