Jen Bilango is rethinking remittances in Philippines

Remittances are lifelines for Filipino families – but traditional systems are slow, costly, and outdated. 

“Coins.ph is the leading licensed exchange here in the Philippines,” Jen Bilango, Country Manager of Coins.ph, told The Crypto Radio during Philippine Blockchain Week 2025, adding that the platform has served the local market for over a decade and is focused on solving everyday pain points like costly, slow remittances.

What sets the company apart is its dual-license approach. It holds a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license for cryptocurrency transactions and an Electronic Money Issuer (EMI) license for digital wallet services. This allows users to move seamlessly between pesos and crypto.

Solving a real problem for Filipino families

Coins.ph’s core focus is transforming the remittance experience for the millions of Filipinos who rely on overseas transfers. “We are the biggest stablecoin remittance partner here in the Philippines,” Bilango said.

The company has partnered with Circle and Terra to enable cross-border transactions using stablecoins – digital assets pegged to fiat currencies. The goal is what Bilango calls “T plus 00” – transfers that settle instantly, at no cost. 

A major milestone came when Coins.ph launched the Philippine Peso stablecoin (PHPC) and became the first firm to exit the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) regulatory sandbox. “Usually, as for BSP, they give all of the participants one year to hit the KPIs. So for us, we're very fortunate that we know the market quite well,” Bilango said.

PHPC is now live on both the Ronin and Polygon networks, and can be used by overseas Filipinos to send money home more efficiently. “If you're in other countries, you can just send PHPC back home, better FX suites,” she added.

Making digital finance feel familiar

For users in the Philippines, the platform offers familiar services like bill payments, mobile top-ups, and savings options – all via a digital wallet. “The combination of both makes it very interesting for the public,” Bilango said.

What ties it all together is a user experience designed for simplicity. “We want users to interact with crypto without realizing they’re interacting with crypto,” Bilango said. That principle is key for onboarding the next wave of users unfamiliar with wallets or private keys.

Looking ahead, Coins.ph is building new features for 2025. These include a rewards hub, lower fees for subscription services, and crypto-native financial products. But every product launch will go through regulatory review first. “Our approach has always been, let's do it in a compliant way. Let's talk to our regulators [about] what we need to do, because that's where we will end up in the future anyway,” she said.

The company’s vision extends beyond the Philippines. “We're expanding overseas,” Bilango said, “and the Philippine operation is helping lead that growth.”

Coins.ph Country Manager Jen Bilango talks to The Crypto Radio's Urian Buenconsejo at Philippine Blockchain Week 2025

Bringing more people into the system

For those entering the digital finance space in the Philippines, Bilango offered practical advice: “First, you have to have a corporation in the Philippines. Then register with BSP as a virtual asset service provider, potentially register with SEC under new regulations, and be prepared for continuous audits.”

That process, while complex, is essential for building trust. “We’re not rushing to launch products,” Bilango added. “We’re working with regulators to get it right, even if that takes time.”

At its heart, the company’s mission is to make financial services more accessible and affordable. “We want to formalize the industry so that we bring in more people, we bring in more institutions into the mix,” Bilango said.

In a country where remittances support entire households, that mission could make a lasting impact. By removing friction from the process, Coins.ph isn’t just speeding up transfers – it’s helping families get more from every peso sent home.