Coins.ph is pushing Philippine digital payments further into crypto-enabled territory with the launch of its QRPh Stablecoin Payment functionality, allowing users to pay merchants using Philippine pesos (PHP), supported stablecoins, or a combination of both—within a single QRPh transaction.
The rollout marks a first in the local fintech landscape, as Coins.ph becomes the first e-wallet in the Philippines to integrate stablecoin payments directly into the country’s national QR standard, QRPh.
Developed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), QRPh serves as the country’s interoperable QR payment framework, enabling users to pay merchants across different banks and e-wallets through a unified system. With this integration, Coins.ph effectively extends that interoperability into digital assets, bringing crypto closer to everyday commerce.
The feature is immediately usable across nearly 700,000 QRPh-enabled merchants nationwide, spanning small businesses to large retail chains. Coins.ph also highlighted the scale of its existing QRPh footprint, noting it processed nearly ₱30 billion in QRPh transactions in December 2025 alone, a base that now becomes crypto-enabled.
Stablecoins meet everyday payments
The initial rollout supports two major stablecoins:
- USDT ($USDT) — pegged 1:1 to the US dollar and widely used for its liquidity and price stability
- USDC ($USDC) — a regulated dollar-backed stablecoin known for transparency and institutional-grade backing
These assets can now be used directly at checkout without requiring users to manually convert holdings into pesos beforehand.
Coins.ph said the goal is to reduce friction between digital asset ownership and real-world spending — an issue that has long limited crypto’s utility beyond trading and investment.
Three payment modes in one system
The QRPh Stablecoin Payment feature introduces a unified checkout architecture with three options:
- PHP-only payments using traditional balances
- Crypto payments, where USDT or USDC is automatically converted to PHP at point of sale
- Hybrid payments, combining PHP and stablecoins in a single transaction
The system generates real-time conversion quotes before confirmation, with all exchanges and settlement executed within one seamless flow. Refunds, if needed, are processed in PHP regardless of the original payment mix.
Coins.ph said the approach removes the need for manual pre-conversion and allows users to spend digital assets without leaving the payment interface.
“Crypto becomes usable in daily life”
“After a long but exciting development process, Coins.ph is proud to finally introduce its QRPh Stablecoin Payment support… We expect this new feature to revolutionize how our users make payments, whether it’s for usual coffee runs or weekend shopping,” said Wei Zhou, CEO of Coins.ph.
Zhou added that the initiative reflects a broader shift toward making crypto more practical for everyday use while simplifying merchant transactions for users with diversified asset holdings.
“By transforming crypto from a passive investment into a versatile tool for daily life, we are setting a new standard for national payments,” he said.
Bridging blockchain and national payment rails
IMAGE CREDIT: Freepik
At its core, the integration positions Coins.ph at the intersection of blockchain infrastructure and government-backed payment systems—an increasingly important frontier as digital asset adoption grows in the Philippines.
By embedding stablecoin settlement into QRPh, the platform is effectively linking crypto liquidity with one of the country’s most widely adopted payment rails, creating a pathway for broader real-world utility.
