Stablecoins could be next big leap for payments

For many Filipinos, sending and receiving money, especially across borders, still costs too much and takes too long. Traditional payment processors and banks can quietly take 6 to 8 percent of a business’s revenue, while settlement can stretch from hours to days. Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhou says stablecoins offer a practical way to fix that and could transform both personal and business payments.

Stablecoins are digital currencies pegged to traditional money like the U.S. dollar. Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies, they hold a steady value, making them suitable for everyday payments and settlements. Zhou sees this stability as the key to crypto’s next phase of adoption.

“The next phase of growth for crypto will be on stablecoins,” he said. “They’re becoming legalized in the U.S., Europe, Hong Kong, and Singapore.”

Regulatory clarity is essential. As governments establish rules, stablecoins become easier to integrate into traditional financial (TradFi) systems. Coins.ph, which operates under the supervision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), has been preparing for this shift for years. The platform supports major U.S. dollar–backed stablecoins, like USDC and USDT, letting users send and receive funds anytime, often at zero cost.

“People can deposit and withdraw U.S. stablecoins for free on Coins.ph,” Zhou said. “That makes a big difference compared to traditional transfers.”

While personal remittances remain an obvious use case, Zhou sees even greater near-term impact on businesses. Consumer habits change slowly, but companies act fast when there’s a clear efficiency gain.

“Business remittance is the use case we can actually push forward,” he said.

Many Filipino freelancers, BPO firms, and service providers still rely on PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) to get paid internationally, but the fees add up.

“Six to eight percent of your revenue can disappear just from payment processing,” Zhou said. “For small and medium-sized businesses, that’s a serious drag on margins.”

Accepting stablecoins cuts fees, speeds up settlement, and improves cash flow.

“If you accept USDC, you instantly make six to eight percent more money,” Zhou said. “That’s a massive unlock for small and medium-sized businesses.”

Stablecoins also help Filipino businesses expand globally. As digital dollars gain adoption worldwide, more people are likely to hold USDC and USDT than traditional online payment accounts.

“There’s going to be more people in the world who have USDT and USDC than PayPal accounts,” Zhou said.

Zhou emphasizes that the Philippines is uniquely positioned to benefit. With early regulatory engagement and years of operational experience, the country is ahead of many regional peers in adopting blockchain-based payments.

“For the first time, the Philippines is not behind; we’re actually ahead,” he said.

Beyond payments, Zhou frames stablecoins as part of a broader evolution in financial infrastructure. Bitcoin proved that value could move globally without relying on traditional intermediaries. Stablecoins build on that foundation, applying the same technology to everyday business and personal financial activity. Together, they mark a shift from speculation to practical use.

“This is about making money move better, not replacing the financial system overnight, but improving it where it’s clearly broken,” Zhou said.

Coins.ph is also preparing to act as an enabler for businesses and financial institutions exploring blockchain solutions. Whether it’s a BPO, a software company, or a bank, Zhou says Coins.ph wants to provide the tools to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

“If you’re BDO, BPI, UnionBank, if you want to add Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, or USDC as part of your product offering, our platform is open,” he said.

Stablecoins, he notes, are just the beginning. By combining them with blockchain-based infrastructure, Coins.ph aims to make payments faster, cheaper, and more accessible, while helping Filipino businesses compete on a global scale.

“If we can open up your business to do more business, that’s a massive unlock for Filipinos, here and around the world,” Zhou said.

As regulation solidifies and adoption grows, Zhou believes platforms like Coins.ph will play a central role in bridging TradFi and blockchain. For Filipinos, that could mean a future where sending, receiving, and managing money is faster, cheaper, and more flexible, powered by stablecoins and rooted in the lessons Bitcoin taught the world about moving value without intermediaries.

Watch: The Philippines is moving toward blockchain-enabled tech