Filipino Traders Embrace Crypto Amid Uncertainty

Despite market volatility, many Filipino traders are cautiously optimistic about crypto. Morgan Spencer Yao, 26, is holding back due to unstable markets. Arlone Abello of IMPACT and Global Miranda Miner Group says local traders gained confidence after the U.S. began planning a national crypto reserve. U.S. regulators, including the SEC, are creating clearer crypto rules. Bitcoin rose 15% year-on-year to over \$107K, boosting global sentiment. Abello noted, “If the U.S. takes Bitcoin seriously, so should we.” Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhou sees strong potential for Philippine crypto adoption, especially as regulations improve. He believes new rules will enhance trust and make crypto more accessible.

 

Remittances & Web3 Drive Growth

Abello highlighted that over \$36B in yearly OFW remittances could shift to cheaper, faster crypto rails. Even a 10% shift could save billions in fees and promote apps like Coins.ph, GCash, and Web3 platforms like TON and OKX. Many Filipinos are already freelancing on Upwork and Discord. Binance Academy reports rising enrollment from Pinoys wanting Web3 jobs. If U.S. policies offer tax cuts or startup incentives, Filipino talents may get more opportunities.

 

Government & Regulation

Abello expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to improve oversight of virtual asset providers. As of January, there were 13 licensed entities (8 active nonbanks, 3 inactive, 2 banks). While bullish long-term, Abello warns that Trump’s unclear crypto policies may fuel short-term market confusion. “Markets hate uncertainty more than bad news,” he said. Zhou added that market volatility may shake prices short-term, but long-term adoption in the Philippines will be driven by remittances, finance access, and Web3 use cases.

 

Regional & Grassroots Momentum

Abello believes regional efforts like RCEP and stablecoin talks may help create a Filipino-led crypto trade corridor. Visayas and Mindanao are seeing quiet but strong adoption. Eli Becislao (Base PH, The BLOKC) says more government use of blockchain would build public trust. A user-friendly “super app” for daily crypto payments could spark mass adoption in 3–5 years.

 

Challenges Remain

Smaller firms struggle to meet high compliance costs. SEC rules now require ₱100M capital for crypto service providers. The sandbox program helps startups test products under relaxed rules. Mark Hugh Neri (Hiraya Network) says the industry needs better marketing and collaboration with the government. “We want to work with them to ease regulations and support the industry,” he said.