Coins.ph has launched a four-year financial education program aimed at teaching Filipino college students the principles of long-term Bitcoin holding, marking what the company says is the first initiative of its kind in the country.
Dubbed the “Coins College Bitcoin Builder,” the program is designed to instill discipline, consistency, and a “buy-and-hold” mindset among young Filipinos at the start of their financial journeys. It allows students to build Bitcoin savings gradually over four years while discouraging short-term trading and speculation.
The initiative comes as digital assets continue to gain traction among younger users and as concerns grow over the declining purchasing power of cash savings due to inflation.
Why Bitcoin?
Coins.ph said the program is anchored on Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million units, a feature often cited by advocates as a hedge against inflation. While prices remain volatile, the company noted that long-term holding has historically coincided with increased adoption.
Over the past four years, Bitcoin recorded a 222% increase, compared with the Philippine peso’s estimated 13% decline in purchasing power over the same period.
How the program works
Under the College Bitcoin Builder, students open a dedicated “Builder Wallet” on the Coins.ph app and make an initial ₱100 deposit in Bitcoin. Coins.ph then matches this with an additional ₱100 in Bitcoin, credited as a reward. The matching incentive is capped at ₱100 per year for four years.
To reinforce long-term behavior, the matched rewards are locked for the full program duration, and the Builder Wallet disables trading functions. Participants may withdraw their original deposits at any time, but doing so will automatically remove them from the program and forfeit all matched rewards.
The program also includes educational components explaining why long-term holders view Bitcoin as a potential store of value compared to traditional cash savings, which lose purchasing power over time.
“We believe good financial habits are best learned early, and it’s about direction and dedication, not capital. The Coins College Bitcoin Builder is more than a rewards program, it’s a mindset,” said Wei Zhou, chief executive officer of Coins.ph.
“Just as a college student dedicates four years to earning a degree, this program teaches them to dedicate four years to building their financial foundation. When they graduate, they’ll have achieved mastery of the time-tested strategy of long-term holding, setting them up for a more financially resilient future,” he added.
Who can join
The program is open to Filipino students aged 18 and above who are currently enrolled in a Commission on Higher Education-recognized college or university, or a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-accredited vocational or technical school.
Participants follow a four-step process: enrollment and wallet creation, initial matched deposit, disciplined holding with optional annual deposits, and unlocking of matched rewards after four years.
Coins.ph said the initiative leverages its status as a BSP-licensed virtual asset service provider and electronic money issuer, giving students access to a regulated and compliant platform while learning about digital assets.
Interested students can reserve a slot for the Coins College Bitcoin Builder through the Coins.ph website.
About Coins.ph
Founded in 2014, Coins.ph is a BSP-regulated digital wallet and crypto exchange platform that enables users to trade digital assets, make payments, buy mobile load, and access other financial services through a single mobile app.
