Coins.ph has recently introduced support for stablecoins within the Philippines’ national QRPh standard, facilitating transactions in Philippine Peso (PHP), USDT, or USDC.
This functionality was launched in April 2026 and integrates Coins.ph’s user base directly into the country’s interoperable QR code payment system. The QRPh is a national QR payment standard managed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, aimed at enabling payments via a single QR code regardless of banking or e-wallet differences.
Connecting digital assets to everyday commerce
According to official communications, Coins.ph users now have access to about 700,000 QRPh-enabled merchant terminals nationwide. These include both small local businesses and major retail chains. Instead of manually converting stablecoins into PHP prior to payment, the system automatically handles this conversion at checkout. Real-time quotes for exchange rates are provided during transactions, and once confirmed, the whole process is executed as one seamless transaction.
The feature offers three modes of operation: payments in PHP only; stablecoin-only payments (where USDT or USDC are converted to PHP at checkout); and a hybrid mode that combines both assets if required. In cases where the payment fails, the system ensures appropriate reversals and refunds are issued in PHP, regardless of whether the original transaction involved stablecoin conversion.
For this initial launch, Coins.ph focused on USDT and USDC due to their high market liquidity as popular USD-pegged stablecoins. Plans for integrating additional tokens will be implemented later.
Regulatory and ecosystem context
The BSP has been at the forefront in Southeast Asia in setting up regulatory frameworks for digital assets, with QRPh serving as a key tool to expand interoperable digital payments. Integrating stablecoin settlement into this regulated infrastructure represents a practical step towards integrating crypto-native assets fully within the national payment system.
Wei Zhou, CEO of Coins.ph, commented that this development is part of their broader strategy to make cryptocurrencies more accessible in everyday transactions and simplify QR-based payments for users holding funds across various asset types.
The Philippines has been one of the top crypto-adopter markets in Southeast Asia, driven by remittances and digital payments. By enabling stablecoin usage at QRPh terminals without requiring users to leave the checkout process, Coins.ph aims to reduce a common barrier that historically limited the practical utility of stablecoins for retail transactions.
