A dispute between AI companies and the U.S. government has intensified debate over military uses of artificial intelligence. Anthropic’s negotiations with the Pentagon collapsed over restrictions on surveillance and autonomous weapons, while OpenAI reached a separate agreement to deploy models on classified systems under revised safeguards.

The Bank of Japan plans to test blockchain technology for settling payments between financial institutions, examining whether bank reserves can be recorded and transferred on a distributed ledger. The sandbox experiment will simulate real-world settlement scenarios with commercial banks while remaining separate from Japan’s ongoing digital yen research.

The Philippines and South Korea signed 10 agreements during President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to Manila, covering digital infrastructure, defense procurement, trade, agriculture, and cultural exchange. The deals build on the two countries’ 2024 strategic partnership and aim to deepen economic and technology cooperation across sectors.

A group of Democratic senators has urged the Treasury and Justice Department to review whether Binance breached its 2023 $4.3 billion settlement, citing reports of alleged sanctions violations and illicit stablecoin flows linked to Iranian entities. Binance denies the allegations and says it has significantly tightened compliance controls since the settlement.

Vietnam has implemented the region’s first dedicated AI law, introducing a risk-based regulatory model inspired by the EU AI Act. The new framework sets compliance rules, human oversight requirements, and liability standards for AI developers and users, while supporting Vietnam’s ambition to become a regional AI hub.

Anthropic was labeled a “supply chain risk” after refusing to lift restrictions on military AI use, prompting a federal phase-out of its tools. Within hours, OpenAI secured a classified Pentagon deal with its own safeguards in place, highlighting growing tensions between national security demands and AI safety commitments.

As Bitcoin slid sharply in February and liquidations surged, investors moved capital into stablecoins instead of exiting crypto altogether. Market data shows rising on-chain usage even as risk appetite faded, highlighting stablecoins’ growing role as crypto’s “cash layer”; a place to park funds, manage volatility, and stay liquid while waiting for market conditions to stabilize.

Bitcoin’s February selloff exposed a widening gap between long-term spot investors and highly leveraged traders. While U.S. Bitcoin ETFs saw only modest outflows, derivatives markets triggered billions in liquidations, amplifying price swings. BlackRock’s digital assets chief warned that excessive leverage is making Bitcoin trade more like a “levered Nasdaq,” challenging its pitch as a stable, defensive asset for institutional portfolios.

While crypto markets swung sharply in February, tokenized real-world assets quietly kept growing. On-chain versions of U.S. Treasuries, gold, and private credit have pushed the RWA market toward $20–30 billion, led by products like BlackRock’s BUIDL. Backed by real cash flows and offering 24/7 settlement, these assets are positioning blockchain less as a trading casino, and more as financial infrastructure.

The Binance mobile app has been removed from the Philippine Google Play Store, blocking new downloads and official updates as regulators step up action against unlicensed crypto platforms. The move follows SEC requests and ISP-level website blocks, signaling a shift from warnings to concrete access restrictions, and likely accelerating user migration to locally licensed exchanges.

Stablecoins are quietly transforming how Filipinos send money home. With fees often below 1% and settlement in minutes, crypto rails are challenging banks and remittance firms that charge 6–7% and take days. As regulated platforms grow alongside massive P2P markets, the Philippines is emerging as a real-world test case for crypto not as speculation, but as financial infrastructure.

Apex Fusion is introducing Ouroboros Tachys to bring consistent one-second block times to Cardano-inspired infrastructure. The multi-chain design separates security and performance across Prime, Vector, and Nexus, connected by a bridge. The goal isn’t to replace Cardano mainnet, but to add faster rails for DeFi, gaming, and cross-chain apps without sacrificing its security-first roots.

Lumen, BYC Ventures’ blockchain platform, has partnered with Malaysia Blockchain Infrastructure under MOSTI to deliver government-grade Blockchain-as-a-Service for public agencies and enterprises. The deal brings BYC’s production-tested infrastructure—already used by Philippine agencies—to Malaysia, enabling secure document verification, audit trails, and interoperable digital systems as the country scales its digital public infrastructure.

BYC has partnered with Alerto PH to bring real-time disaster and environmental data onto its blockchain-based “truth layer.” The collaboration integrates Alerto PH’s IoT and AI-driven monitoring systems into BYC’s Lumen ecosystem, enabling verified disaster signals and incident reports to be authenticated and distributed on-chain in real time for faster, more trusted emergency response.

Gold is moving onto 24/7 digital rails. With prices hitting record highs and volatility rising, platforms like OKX are listing gold-linked perpetual futures, giving traders round-the-clock exposure using crypto-style derivatives. The trend reflects how digital market infrastructure is blurring lines between commodities and crypto, while offering new tools for hedging and short-term trading.

With crypto markets remaining highly volatile, retail traders are increasingly turning to automation to manage risk and discipline. Spot DCA bots, now offered by platforms like OKX, execute rule-based buying and selling without leverage, turning price swings into a structured strategy. The trend highlights how retail trading is evolving from manual decision-making toward system-driven approaches in choppy markets.

Tokenized real-world assets are gaining traction in 2026, but usability remains a barrier for everyday investors. Platforms are increasingly turning to a “CeDeFi” model—blending centralized exchange convenience with onchain settlement—to simplify access. OKX’s expansion to Ethereum and Arbitrum highlights how bonds, gold, and other traditional assets are moving onchain while trading experiences become closer to familiar, mainstream platforms.

Stablecoins are evolving from simple trading parking tools into yield-bearing digital cash. New “productive stablecoins,” such as Paxos-issued USDG on OKX, pass through interest from cash and U.S. Treasury reserves to users while maintaining a dollar peg. The shift reflects rising demand for low-volatility returns, stronger reserve transparency, and a broader move to make stablecoins functional savings and settlement tools, not just idle liquidity.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has launched a blockchain-based Audit and Voting System under its Integrity Chain initiative, aiming to strengthen transparency and public oversight in infrastructure projects. Built with civil society partners and implemented via BayaniChain, the platform records audit inputs and votes on-chain, creating a tamper-resistant, participatory accountability layer for government infrastructure programs.

Debate over potential vendor lock-in in Philippine government blockchain projects surfaced at a BitPinas forum, with critics questioning whether early pilots risk over-reliance on BayaniChain. Founder Paul Soliman denied monopoly claims, while Blockchain Council President Luis Buenaventura said limited local providers explain BayaniChain’s prominence. The discussion highlights growing concerns over competition and interoperability as blockchain moves deeper into public sector systems.

BayaniChain founder Paul Soliman said the Philippine government’s use of the ERC-721 “NFT” standard for budget records is about document integrity, not digital art or speculation. The DBM is using blockchain to secure SAROs and NCAs as unique, tamper-resistant public records, turning them into verifiable on-chain documents rather than tradable tokens.

The Blockchain Council of the Philippines said it lacks enough developers to keep up with the government’s accelerating use of blockchain in public finance and governance. Speaking at a Feb. 4 forum, BCP President Luis Buenaventura said the group must rapidly expand its technical capacity as blockchain moves from pilots into core systems like budget and audit records.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology said the Philippines is aiming to become an Asian hub for artificial intelligence and 6G, marking a shift from its legacy as the “Texting Capital of the World.” The push will be highlighted at the 2026 Philippine Telecom Summit on Feb. 5, as part of the government’s Digital Bayanihan agenda to upgrade connectivity, infrastructure, and participation in next-generation technologies.

Apex Fusion is building a multi-layer blockchain architecture designed to bridge UTXO-based networks like Cardano and Bitcoin with Ethereum-compatible systems. Using a tri-chain model—combining a secure Layer 1, a high-throughput UTXO Layer 2, and an EVM-compatible network—the project aims to make interoperability native, allowing assets and applications to move across different blockchain models without forcing users to choose sides.

Tether has released MiningOS, an open-source operating system for Bitcoin mining operations, expanding beyond stablecoins into core infrastructure. The software is designed to let miners monitor machines, manage energy use, and coordinate operations without relying on proprietary platforms. Tether said MiningOS can run locally, scale from small to industrial setups, and is available under the Apache 2.0 open-source license.

Philippine producer inflation accelerated to 0.9% year-on-year in December, the fastest pace since February 2025, driven mainly by higher costs in electronics, transport equipment, and energy-linked products, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed. While pressures remain selective, the rebound signals a pickup in factory-gate prices after months of subdued readings.

Nvidia and OpenAI have moved away from a previously discussed $100 billion AI infrastructure plan, shifting talks toward smaller, modular investments. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the company will still make a “huge” investment in OpenAI, but not at the originally reported scale. The partnership remains intact.

Coins.ph has opened trading for xU3O8, a tokenized product linked to uranium prices, giving Filipino retail users access to an asset class typically limited to institutions. The platform said the product tracks uranium prices without granting delivery rights, with underlying material stored in licensed facilities abroad. Coins.ph operates under Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas oversight.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said proposed crypto “innovation exemptions” will not be finalized early this year, signaling a slower, incremental regulatory approach. The agency said digital asset firms must continue operating under existing securities laws while it studies technical risks, gathers feedback from traditional financial institutions, and awaits clearer guidance from Congress.

Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a criminal complaint with the Department of Justice against Villar Land Holdings Corp. and several top executives over alleged misleading financial disclosures and market manipulation. The case is at the complaint stage, with the DOJ set to determine whether probable cause exists to file formal charges.

Binance will convert about $1 billion in its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) from stablecoins into Bitcoin over 30 days, shifting the emergency reserve toward a BTC-denominated structure. The exchange said the phased conversion is designed to limit market impact and reduce reliance on fiat-backed stablecoins, while maintaining the fund’s $1 billion target value through replenishment if needed.

Courts in Hong Kong are preparing for a surge in crypto, fraud and insolvency litigation in 2026 as digital assets move firmly into mainstream commercial law. Recent rulings treating cryptocurrencies as property allow judges to freeze and recover tokens like traditional assets, while rising corporate failures and cross-border disputes are expected to drive heavier caseloads in commercial and restructuring courts.

Vietnam has opened its first-ever licensing window for cryptocurrency trading platforms under a five-year pilot regime. Under rules issued by the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam, exchanges can now apply for approval through a supervised framework run by the State Securities Commission of Vietnam, marking a shift from a legal gray area to formal, state-controlled oversight of digital asset trading.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (Philippines) warned investors against using Interactive Brokers Group Inc., saying the firm is not registered or licensed to offer brokerage services locally. The regulator cautioned that promoting the platform in the Philippines could lead to criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment, and urged the public to verify a provider’s registration before investing.

On a strict party-line vote, all Republicans voting yes and all Democrats voting no, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry advanced a crypto market structure bill. The 12–11 split highlights partisan disagreement over crypto oversight. The proposal would clarify federal rules for “digital commodities” but must still pass both chambers of Congress before becoming law.

Tether Holdings SA has accumulated roughly 140 metric tons of physical gold worth about US$24 billion, according to Bloomberg, making it one of the world’s largest private bullion holders. The purchases, made steadily through 2025–2026, form part of Tether’s reserve strategy alongside cash and U.S. Treasuries, reflecting a shift toward hard-asset diversification amid global uncertainty.

The S&P 500’s move above 7,000 reflects sustained confidence in large-cap U.S. equities, supported by resilient earnings, AI-linked growth narratives, and easing rate fears. Analysts note that index concentration remains a key driver, with gains in mega-cap stocks exerting an outsized influence on benchmark performance amid steady global capital inflows.

Gold surged to a new all-time high above US$5,250 per ounce, extending a months-long rally driven by heightened geopolitical uncertainty, central bank reserve accumulation, and sustained safe-haven demand. Spot prices reached US$5,260–$5,280, while tokenized gold markets mirrored the move, with Tether Gold trading near US$5,284. Analysts cited risk-off positioning and structural demand as key drivers.

The Blockchain Council of the Philippines has appointed Luis Buenaventura as its new President, with Blockchain Council of the Philippines Chairman Donald Lim retaining his role. Buenaventura, who leads crypto initiatives at GCash, said the Council will focus on industry partnerships and nation-building in 2026.

Vitalik Buterin is highlighting zero-knowledge proofs as a path to broader Ethereum self-verification, allowing users to verify the chain without replaying its full transaction history. ZK-assisted verification could lower hardware requirements and reduce reliance on centralized infrastructure, supporting Ethereum’s long-term goal of scalable, self-sovereign participation.

The Philippine House of Representatives plans to deploy a “House Book” app in 2026 to digitalize legislative operations using blockchain and AI. Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said the platform will automate document routing, monitor votes, and reduce paper-based workflows. Developed with DICT, the system aims to enhance transparency through blockchain audit trails and streamline internal processes via AI, positioning the Philippines as a regional early mover in digital legislative systems.

The Philippines plans to automate key legislative processes by 2026 using blockchain and AI, with House Speaker Faustino Dy III announcing a partnership with the DICT to implement paperless, tamper-resistant document workflows. The initiative positions the Philippines as an early mover in Asia on blockchain-backed legislative infrastructure and aligns with ongoing national e-governance projects under the Digital Bayanihan strategy.

XRP is gaining traction as a settlement asset in cross-border payment flows, with the Philippines emerging as a key corridor due to its large remittance market and fragmented payout infrastructure. Payment firms in Japan and Southeast Asia have used XRP to reduce pre-funding and improve liquidity efficiency, reflecting a broader shift from speculative crypto use toward institutional financial plumbing in global payments.

AFP Protección, Colombia’s second-largest private pension fund administrator, is preparing to offer voluntary Bitcoin exposure to clients, according to financial media reports. While not yet launched or regulatory-cleared, the move marks a cautious shift in a traditionally conservative pension system. Analysts say opt-in crypto sleeves could signal growing institutional interest in Bitcoin as a diversification asset in Latin American retirement portfolios.

Ethereum continues to dominate on-chain lending with roughly $28 billion in active outstanding loans across decentralized credit protocols, according to Token Terminal data. Analysts note the figure reflects borrowing demand rather than deposits, underscoring Ethereum’s role as the primary credit layer for DeFi. Other networks support lending activity but remain far smaller in scale, highlighting Ethereum’s lead in capital efficiency and ecosystem maturity.

The SEC has raised the audit exemption threshold for corporations to ₱3 million in total assets or liabilities, easing compliance costs for micro enterprises. Effective for fiscal years ending 31 December 2025 onward, qualifying firms may submit certified financial statements with a sworn management responsibility statement instead of audited reports. The change updates the long-standing ₱600,000 threshold and aligns with efforts to streamline MSME regulatory requirements.

Fintech leaders, regulators, and investors will convene in Manila on 30 April for the Fintech Revolution Summit, an industry event focused on digital finance, payments, regulation, and cross-border innovation. The summit expects 250+ participants and positions itself as a forum linking startups, financial institutions, and policymakers amid continued growth in Philippine digital payments, digital banking, and fintech adoption.

PEZA has launched the country’s first government-led AI Tech Academy in Cebu in partnership with TESDA and StackTrek, aiming to build a domestic talent pipeline for advanced manufacturing and digital services. The academy will train workers in AI, data science, fintech, and emerging tech, with free upskilling for PEZA-registered firms as the agency advances ecozone modernization and national competitiveness.

The DICT will launch eGovDocs in March 2026, enabling citizens to electronically sign official documents through the eGovPH app. The system forms part of the government’s digitalization agenda to streamline transactions and reduce paperwork. Officials said the platform will initially cover select documents and expand over time, positioning digital signatures as a core feature of future e-government services.

The Philippine economy is projected to grow about 5.3% in 2026, according to updated forecasts from AMRO and the World Bank, keeping the country among East Asia’s faster performers behind Vietnam and Mongolia. Consumption is expected to anchor demand as inflation stabilizes, though lenders flagged governance and investment execution risks. Growth is seen accelerating in 2027 as external conditions improve.

The Philippines has launched a blockchain-backed transparency portal publishing the 2026 national budget in structured, verifiable form as part of the Digital Bayanihan Chain initiative. Led by DBM and DICT with infrastructure from BayaniChain, the system moves fiscal data beyond PDFs toward machine-readable formats and public validation, positioning the country’s e-governance push alongside global open-budget modernization efforts.

The Philippines is moving toward conditional reinstatement of xAI’s Grok after blocking access over child protection and synthetic sexual content risks. Regulators are reviewing safety safeguards and compliance measures, marking one of the first structured engagements between an ASEAN government and a frontier AI developer. Officials said the goal is conditional operation with guardrails rather than permanent suspension.

The Philippines and UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement expected to boost jobs, exports and investment. The deal opens wider access for Philippine goods, formalizes labor mobility pathways and strengthens investment channels in sectors such as energy and infrastructure. Ratification and implementation rules are pending, with benefits expected to roll out over several years.

BayaniChain unveiled the Digital Bayanihan Chain, a public blockchain-based system enabling cryptographic verification of Philippine national budget records. Co-developed with the DICT, the initiative anchors the enacted budget on-chain to ensure integrity, detect tampering and maintain audit trails. Future phases will extend to releases and execution, positioning the system as a public verification layer for fiscal transparency.

Gold surged to fresh record highs above $4,840 per ounce as safe-haven demand intensified amid geopolitical tensions and a weaker U.S. dollar. Traders described the move as a risk-off rotation, with bullion benefiting from currency dynamics and defensive portfolio flows rather than rate-driven catalysts. Desk positioning remains constructive as investors monitor the $5,000 level.

The NYSE plans to launch a tokenized trading and settlement platform enabling 24/7 equities trading, instant settlement, and fractional share purchases. The initiative, developed with ICE, BNY Mellon and Citigroup, aims to bring U.S. stocks onto blockchain-style rails and eliminate banking-hour constraints. If approved, it would mark the first major U.S. exchange to bridge traditional securities with crypto settlement infrastructure.

The Bureau of the Treasury upsized its latest T-bill auction to ₱37.8 billion after bids reached ₱126.6 billion, pushing yields lower across all tenors. Strong liquidity and easing inflation expectations supported demand despite recent peso volatility, with analysts noting optimism around the Philippines’ growth outlook.

Veem has expanded its partnership with Coins.ph to speed up cross-border payouts from the U.S. and Canada to the Philippines, using USDC and digital settlement rails instead of traditional correspondent banks. Coins.ph handles local conversion and disbursement to banks and e-wallets, targeting freelancers, BPO firms and SMEs that rely on fast USD-to-PHP payouts.

The Philippines has blocked access to Grok AI over concerns the platform could be used to generate non-consensual sexual deepfakes, joining Indonesia and Malaysia in tightening controls on generative tools. Regulators framed the move as a child safety measure and signaled that access may resume once stricter safeguards are in place, reflecting Southeast Asia’s growing role in shaping rules for AI image platforms.

The DOE’s penalties against Solar Philippines for failing to deliver auction-awarded renewable projects highlight rising concerns over execution risk in the Green Energy Auction Program. Analysts say delayed capacity undermines price competition and slows the entry of cheaper renewables that could have reduced electricity costs. The DOE plans tighter rules as it seeks to align developers’ bids with deliverable projects and broader energy transition goals.

Economists say the peso’s outlook will depend on global risks, BSP policy signals, and commodity prices. U.S. rates, tariffs, and oil markets are pushing up dollar demand, while the Philippines’ fuel and food imports amplify inflation risks. A weaker peso raises costs for households but boosts remittance conversion and some exports, creating mixed effects as policymakers balance inflation, stability, and growth.

The BSP has extended a set of regulatory incentives through 2028 to encourage banks to scale sustainable finance, allowing higher lending limits for eligible projects and exempting sustainable bond proceeds from reserve requirements. The move reflects the central bank’s broader push to channel capital toward climate resilience and green investment as it refines taxonomy, risk calibration, and blended finance tools for the country’s transition.

The IMF estimates the Philippines will need up to ₱10.7 trillion in clean energy investment through 2050 to meet its transition goals, equivalent to roughly 40% of 2024 GDP. Despite strong solar and wind potential and recent policy reforms, the fund warns that grid constraints, high upfront costs and project bottlenecks could slow progress, underscoring the urgency of mobilizing both public and private capital.

The World Bank projects the Philippines to be the third-fastest-growing economy in East Asia and the Pacific through 2027, supported by strong domestic demand and ongoing reforms. Growth of 5.3% in 2026 and 5.4% in 2027 places it behind Vietnam and Mongolia, well above regional averages. The outlook highlights the country’s resilience, while noting that governance gaps and climate vulnerabilities remain key constraints to sustaining investment-led growth.

The House of Representatives plans to adopt blockchain technology in 2026 to secure legislative records and budget-related processes as part of a shift toward a paperless, digital-first system. Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said the initiative, to be developed with the DICT, aims to strengthen transparency, traceability, and public trust in Congress.

Global exchange OKX has released its 37th consecutive Proof of Reserves report, confirming over $30B in assets are fully backed and independently verified. With BTC and USDT reserves at 105% and ETH at 102%, the exchange continues to promote verifiable solvency through a public Merkle Tree audit system. As trust remains a defining issue in centralized crypto platforms, OKX positions PoR as a critical safeguard for users worldwide.

Naga City has secured a ₱6.79M DEPDev grant to pilot an AI-enabled transport and land-use planning system, integrating real-time traffic analytics, hazard data, and project monitoring. Designed as a people-centric, predictive governance tool, the initiative could become the country’s first working model for AI-informed urban planning.

The CADENA Act, which evolved from Senate Bill 1330’s “Blockchain the Budget” proposal, now adopts a tech-neutral approach to transparency. The revised bill mandates timely publication of budget documents, phased rollout, and cryptographically verifiable records—while leaving implementation open to multiple technologies. Senator Bam Aquino emphasized continued refinement, civic participation, and building a flexible, future-proof accountability framework.

President Marcos Jr. called for urgent AI adoption across Philippine agencies at APEC, noting that waiting risks being left behind. With pilots emerging in welfare, taxation, health forecasting, and transport analytics, experts warn that AI must be backed by governance, data standards, and transparency. The President stressed people-centric use, not automation for its own sake, as government weighs coordinated strategy versus fragmented deployments.

Bitskwela Youth brought its Blockchain Summit to the University of Baguio on November 6, engaging students through hands-on activities, real-world use cases, and digital safety sessions. With support from Anichess and Coins.ph, the event showcased blockchain’s relevance beyond finance; from gaming to secure digital participation. The summit forms part of Bitskwela’s nationwide push to equip young Filipinos with responsible, future-ready Web3 knowledge.

⁦Coins.ph⁩ CEO Wei Zhou underscored the role of stablecoins in empowering OFWs during the Financial Literacy & Digital Adoption Program for the OFW Community in Hong Kong, organized by Fintech Alliance PH and OWWA. Speaking before overseas Filipinos, Zhou highlighted stablecoin-powered remittances as a faster, cheaper alternative to traditional transfers, aligning with ⁦Coins.ph⁩’s mission to advance financial inclusion and digital adoption among global Filipino workers.

The Province of Bataan, under Governor Joet Garcia, has officially joined GoodGovChain™, a blockchain-powered governance platform by BayaniChain (BYC) Ventures, marking a milestone in the Philippines’ digital governance roadmap. Launched during the Global Emerging Tech Summit 2025, the initiative begins with on-chain publication of provincial ordinances, ensuring transparency, integrity, and public verifiability of records. Built on BYC’s Lumen and Prismo infrastructure, GoodGovChain integrates securely with DBM and DPWH systems under the Digital Public Asset (DPA) framework. Bataan follows Baguio City’s lead, signaling a growing movement toward verifiable, citizen-accessible governance. Governor Garcia called it “a decisive step toward an open, accountable, and digitally empowered province.”

⁦Coins.ph⁩, the Philippines’ leading crypto exchange, has partnered with BCRemit to launch a stablecoin-based remittance network connecting the UK, EU, US, and Canada to the Philippines. Starting November 1, 2025, senders can convert fiat into USDC or USDT, transfer it instantly via blockchain, and have it converted back to pesos in minutes through ⁦Coins.ph⁩—cutting transfer fees by up to 80 percent. Both firms are BSP-licensed, ensuring compliance and fund security. The collaboration marks a major step toward faster, cheaper, and transparent remittances for millions of overseas Filipinos, with QR-payment outbound features planned for 2026 to complete a two-way digital remittance bridge.

Coins.ph has announced a limited-time promotion offering a record-low 3 basis points (0.03%) spread for USDT/PHP trades on its TradeDesk platform, effective October 15 to December 15, 2025. The rate, available to Level 3 Verified users trading at least ₱1 million per transaction, marks the platform’s most competitive pricing to date. Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhou said the move aims to strengthen TradeDesk’s position as “the premier destination for high-volume digital asset trading in the Philippines.” The service provides institutional liquidity for large OTC transactions across multiple fiat pairs, including USD, EUR, JPY, and SGD.

Blockchain platform QADENA has released a new tool called “National Budget in Action,” a public dashboard that tracks government allocations and disbursements with searchable, real-time data. The feature mirrors civic-tech advocate Ann Cuisia’s earlier proposals for digitally signed budget records and citizen-accessible audit logs. Accessible via QADENA’s website, the dashboard offers disbursement-level trails, regional filters, and downloadable datasets for public verification. Positioned ahead of QADENA’s 2026 mainnet launch, the system integrates transparency and compliance into its infrastructure roadmap. Its release comes amid ongoing debates over the “Blockchain the Budget” bills, offering a functional, non-legislative alternative for fiscal visibility.

GCrypto Head and blockchain advocate Luis Buenaventura has voiced opposition to Senate Bill No. 1330, warning that the proposed “Blockchain the Budget” initiative risks wasting public funds. In an exclusive interview, Buenaventura said the system “won’t work” unless the entire Philippine peso supply is tokenized—something no country has attempted. He cautioned that the project could damage the industry’s credibility if it fails to curb corruption as promised. Instead, he urged lawmakers to reframe the bill around “public transparency through technology” and to involve media and watchdog groups in oversight. “Faith without proof is not blockchain,” Buenaventura said.

⁦Coins.ph⁩ and Vietnam-based FinFan have signed an MoU to streamline PH–VN remittances using licensed, compliant infrastructure. Coins will handle USD conversion and international transfer, while FinFan manages local USD disbursement—enabling faster, more transparent, and cost-efficient cross-border payments. The partnership aims to strengthen financial inclusion and modernize regional remittance rails across Southeast Asia.

The Worldcoin project, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is under increasing global scrutiny for its iris-scanning identity system that rewards users with cryptocurrency. With over five million signups, largely from developing countries, regulators in France, Germany, Kenya, and the Philippines are investigating potential privacy and consent violations. Critics warn that Worldcoin’s model risks exploiting weaker regulatory environments and creating dependency on a privately controlled digital ID system. While the company claims biometric data is anonymized, experts say risks remain irreversible if compromised. The controversy underscores the wider debate over digital identity, data ethics, and the balance between innovation and human rights.

House Bill No. 5402, filed by Occidental Mindoro Representative Leody Tarriela, seeks to create a National Distributed Budget and Governance Blockchain System that would record all public fund movements on a shared, tamper-resistant ledger. The proposal envisions real-time tracking of appropriations, allotments, and disbursements across DBM, COA, DOF, and DICT through synchronized databases. It also introduces a multi-agency Blockchain Budget Governance Board and a public Budget Ledger Explorer for citizen access. Unlike earlier “budget blockchain” measures, HB 5402 details encryption standards, API integration, and a five-year rollout plan—aiming to make fiscal transparency continuous, verifiable, and citizen-accessible.

Bitskwela just hosted its Blockchain Summit at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela yesterday 14th of October, bringing blockchain education and career readiness to local students. The event will feature workshops, orientation tracks, and talks from Web3 advocates, emphasizing blockchain’s role beyond finance—as a foundation for transparent, digital governance. Organized in partnership with Stellar and Anichess, with support from Coins.ph, GIG, and the Blockchain Council of the Philippines, the summit aligns with DICT’s digital transformation goals and ongoing discussions on blockchain in modern finance and governance.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has launched “Integrity Chain,” a blockchain-powered system developed with BayaniChain Ventures to improve oversight of infrastructure projects. Starting with Foreign Assisted Projects, the platform records budgets and milestones on an immutable ledger, with NGOs and civic groups invited as validators. Built on BayaniChain’s DPA, Lumen, and Prismo frameworks, it aims to prevent falsified records and expand transparency.

New Q1–Q2 2025 survey by a leading trading platform shows how inflation, cultural dynamics, and investor motivations are reshaping crypto use worldwide. Inflation hedge adoption surged from 29% to 46%, particularly in East Asia and the Middle East, while Latin America’s memecoin boom highlights a retail-driven, community-focused culture. South Asia emerged as the epicenter of spot and futures trading, with mobile-first users driving financial independence narratives. Globally, investors are consolidating around public chain tokens and stablecoins, even as futures trading gains traction in Asia. The report forecasts continued growth in crypto as a hedge against inflation, maturing trading strategies, and wealth redistribution toward mid-tier portfolios—underscoring the need for regionally tailored approaches.

Crypto exchange Bitget has officially entered the booming real-world asset (RWA) market with the launch of BGUSD, a yield-bearing stable asset backed by tokenized traditional financial instruments.

MicroStrategy Chairman Michael Saylor has dismissed the current practice of publishing on-chain proof of reserves, calling it fundamentally insecure and unsuitable for institutional adoption.