Coins.ph CEO Urges LGUs to Digitize Payments, Calls to Remove ‘Invisible Tax’
Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhou urged Philippine local government units (LGUs) to digitize public collections to eliminate what he called an “invisible tax” from payment inefficiencies. Citing Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data that retail digital payments account for 57.4% of payment volume, Zhou warned small manual frictions add up (1% on ₱500m = ₱5m lost). He highlighted Coins.ph platform growth: monthly QR Ph transactions rose from ₱559m to ₱29.95bn over 12 months in 2025, 18 million registered users, ~140 million monthly transactions, 99.9% uptime, 50ms API latency, and integrations with 120+ banks and e‑wallets. Zhou pitched Coins.ph as a regulated partner for digitizing business permit and property tax collections, arguing digital collections reduce reconciliation delays, cash handling risks and operational disruptions during disasters and improve revenue collection and social assistance delivery. The articles also note Coins.ph’s recent crypto product expansion—launching a PHP‑backed stablecoin (PHPC), adding Solana and other high‑performance chains, expanding token support, and securing international licences—positioning the firm as both a payments and crypto infrastructure provider for public sector adoption. For traders: the news underscores institutional adoption momentum for on‑ramps and fiat‑backed stablecoins in the Philippines, possible growth in transaction volume on Coins.ph rails, and greater regulatory visibility for PHPC and supported blockchain integrations.
Bullish
Positive for the mentioned tokens and on‑ramp liquidity: Coins.ph pitching LGUs to adopt its regulated payment rails and a PHP‑backed stablecoin (PHPC) increases the probability of higher on‑chain and off‑chain transaction flow through the platform. Short term, traders may see improved sentiment for PHPC and tokens tied to the supported chains (e.g., SOL) as adoption news often lifts demand and speculative interest. Increased QR Ph volumes and institutional partnerships can expand fiat on‑ramp liquidity, reducing frictions for buying crypto locally—bullish for local stablecoin usage and for fees/revenue of Coins.ph. Over the medium to long term, successful LGU integrations and wider use of PHPC would strengthen utility and transactional demand, potentially supporting price stability and higher market depth for PHPC and related ecosystem tokens. Risks: regulatory changes, execution delays, or limited LGU uptake could mute effects. But based on the reported growth metrics and regulatory positioning, the net expected price impact on the mentioned cryptocurrencies is bullish.