THE Blockchain Council of the Philippines, Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra, the Gobi-Core Philippine Fund, and Tether have launched the Philippine Blockchain Industry Report 2025, a first-of-its-kind benchmarking study that assesses the country’s blockchain ecosystem against its Asean peers.
The report highlights a growing maturity in the Philippines’ blockchain sector, once dominated by cryptocurrency and play-to-earn (P2E) gaming. With the country ranked eighth in the 2024 Global Crypto Adoption Index, local startups such as Yield Guild Games have drawn global attention — YGG notably raised $4.6 million from Andreessen Horowitz. But today, blockchain is expanding into areas like remittances, decentralized finance, digital identity, and logistics.
While 96 percent of Filipinos are aware of cryptocurrencies, only 28 percent are familiar with Web3, and 53 percent have yet to try any blockchain applications. Still, trust in blockchain is growing: 74 percent of respondents said they are confident in the technology’s security.
“This report is both a diagnostic and a roadmap,” said Mark Gorriceta, managing partner at Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra. “It offers legal, technological, and economic perspectives to help build a secure, innovative, and future-ready digital ecosystem in the Philippines.”
The study outlines five recommended actions: broadening regulatory support beyond crypto, building sandboxes for innovation, improving public-private partnerships in education, developing blockchain literacy and skills, and boosting government adoption for digital services.
Donald Lim, president of DITO CME and founding president of the Blockchain Council, called the report a “milestone in our collective journey to build a digitally empowered Philippines.”
The report’s launch was followed by the Block Awards 2025, an annual ceremony recognizing leaders in the Philippine blockchain space. This year’s event introduced new award categories such as Youth Excellence, Community, and Regional Awards, marking a broader national engagement.
Top honors went to former Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa Sigue and Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Emilio Aquino, named Blockchain Leaders of the Year for private and public sectors, respectively.
“This award tells me that the effort to innovate — especially in government — is worth it,” said Aquino. “Leadership is not about being the loudest voice in the room, but being the one who listens, studies, and takes the first step forward.”
Sigue said her award was a recognition of “every leader who dedicates their time to listen to the whispers of innovation” and a reminder that blockchain’s promise lies in serving communities and the nation.
Other honorees included CoinsPH (Best Web3 Customer Experience), Pitaka.io (Most Innovative Blockchain Project), and regional champions like Kookoo Crypto and the Davao DeFi Community. Web3 Youth Advocate Gelo Wong and Blockchain Educator of the Year Coach Miranda Miner were also recognized.
The awards jury, chaired by GCash’s Luis Buenaventura and composed of past winners and blockchain leaders, added a public voting component this year to broaden participation.
In a blend of tradition and innovation, winners received exclusive NFT trophies — digitally curated artworks merging the abstract style of National Artist Jose Joya with the expressive visuals of his grandnephew, Andre Baldovino.
“The Block Awards is more than a celebration — it’s a call to action,” said Lim. “As the world moves deeper into the digital age, the Philippines must not just follow, but lead.”
