GCash, the Philippines’ main cellular pockets and monetary providers platform, has reworked the best way Filipinos handle their funds. Recognized for its seamless integration of funds, invoice settlements, cash transfers, insurance coverage, and lending providers, GCash has turn into a cornerstone of day by day monetary transactions for hundreds of thousands.
Inside this ecosystem, GCrypto is a function inside the GCash app, permitting customers to simply discover and interact with cryptocurrencies.
Led by somebody who has been within the crypto area since 2014, the platform focuses on fostering protected and knowledgeable crypto adoption. With a mission to coach and empower Filipinos, GCrypto is not only about buying and selling digital property however about constructing a sustainable understanding of cryptocurrency as a long-term monetary device.
That stated, representatives of UseTheBitcoin obtained the chance to interview Luis Buenaventura, the Head of Cryptocurrencies at GCrypto, throughout the latest Philippine Blockchain Week 2025 in Manila.
UTB: You might have been a key determine within the Philippine crypto area since 2014. What motivated you to affix GCash because the Head of GCrypto, and the way has this position allowed you to form the way forward for crypto adoption within the Philippines?
Luis: So, GCash has 94 million customers right here within the Philippines, which is mainly one hundred percent of the nation. My dream has at all times been to determine a method to make crypto as accessible to Filipinos as doable within the most secure and most safe manner, and I suppose becoming a member of GCash to steer GCrypto simply made loads of sense, like they’ve already obtained each single Filipino as a consumer of GCash, so now the job turns into on how will we make them extra acquainted or extra comfy with crypto such that they will make the most of the truth that GCrypto exists proper inside their GCash pockets—they don’t even need to obtain and set up something anymore, all their ID and credentials are all there, so all they should do is actually search for the GCrypto icon inside GCash and so they may get began with crypto instantly.
UTB: How is the platform leveraging this huge consumer base to make crypto accessible to the typical Filipino, and what challenges are you going through on this democratization effort?
Luis: Truthfully, it’s really easy for us to simply preserve selling crypto, as a result of once more, of these 94 million customers, tens of hundreds of thousands of them log in GCash each single day as a result of that’s the place they pay their payments, ship cash to people, they’ve insurances there, or borrow cash by it—all we have to do actually is ship them a few push notifications to check out crypto.
However I don’t suppose that’s sufficient. I believe that you recognize you’ll be able to’t simply promote and market these items, you even have to show them methods to use it. So, this yr in 2025, one of many tasks that you will notice from GCrypto is that we’re going to be releasing a comic book e-book that explains how crypto works for the typical Filipino. It’s going to be in Taglish(*). I wrote and illustrated it, and it is possible for you to to get a free copy in case you signal as much as GCrypto.
A Newbie’s Information To Crypto by Luis Buenaventura – Picture from BitPinas
And in case you go to one in all our occasions in our headquarters, you’ll truly get each a digital copy of the comedian e-book in your app and a bodily copy in case you go to us at one in all our meetups or occasions. And I suppose that’s type of our manner of actually making these items just a little bit extra simpler—it’s not sufficient to simply give crypto to individuals, they really have to know what it’s for and methods to use it safely. In order that’s what we’re attempting to go for this yr.
(*)Taglish is a type of language used within the Philippines the place Tagalog and English phrases are blended collectively, creating a novel mix of each languages.
UTB: Notably, you’ve got advocated for Filipinos to view crypto as a long-term financial savings various somewhat than a get-rich-quick scheme. How is GCrypto educating customers to undertake this mindset, and what cultural or financial limitations are you addressing?
Luis: Yeah, so to a sure extent, the comedian books are type of one of many key items in our technique. You understand, I suppose I’m type of old skool with the best way I method schooling. I like books and educating that manner by making individuals learn. On this case, it’s a comic book e-book, so that you don’t need to learn the entire thing—there are various illustrations.
However greater than that, we’re additionally doing loads of meetups. Each month, there’s at the least one GCrypto meetup on the GCash workplace, which is at all times free; prospects don’t need to pay for something—they simply anticipate the invitation and so they can go, ask questions on to me or a few of our company. We normally have consultants additionally type of out there there to reply your entire questions on crypto, possibly even information you about the place you must begin, which I believe is an important first step for a lot of inexperienced persons.
So yeah, we’re continuously doing stuff like this, and that’s at all times going to be a part of the technique for us.
UTB: Trying past 2025, what’s your imaginative and prescient for GCrypto within the subsequent decade, and the way do you see it contributing to the worldwide crypto ecosystem from the Philippines?
Luis: Presently, there are solely 3 million GCash prospects who’re utilizing GCrypto, and bear in mind how I stated earlier that there are 94 million GCash prospects. So, the primary job is to determine methods to get that 3 million all the best way as much as 90 million plus, and that’s type of the aim for us.
Yearly, we hope to develop by a few million extra, and hopefully, as Filipinos turn into extra acquainted and conscious of these items, they may search for GCrypto as a result of they know that it exists now, and I suppose that’s it—you recognize it’s at all times going to be on how will we preserve onboarding increasingly more Filipinos. However on the similar time, we be sure that they’re doing it in a manner that isn’t the place they’re dreaming of 100x wealth or no matter. It’s not likely how that works in crypto; it’s slower than that, particularly if you wish to do it safely. So, managing your danger ranges, managing your expectations, these are all essential components of this expertise, so I believe for us, it’s simply having increasingly more instruments for Filipinos to be taught these items just a little extra safely. I believe that’s the overarching aim for us.
UTB: Is there something you wish to share that I’ve not requested, however is essential to cowl on this interview?
Luis: I suppose what I at all times inform individuals is that if you’re even just a little bit or interested in crypto, you don’t must obtain or set up a brand new app, you don’t must create a brand new account, you’ve already obtained crypto buying and selling proper inside your GCash pockets. It’s contained in the GInvest folder; you click on that icon, and also you’re there.
So, you already obtained every thing that you should get began, and yeah, in case you take that first step, then you’ll be able to go on this journey with us, and we are going to assist information you and maintain your hand while you’re studying all of these items for the primary time.
For additional info on GCrypto and to remain up to date on their bulletins, please go to their official social media channels supplied under:
👉 GCash’s Fb Web page: https://www.fb.com/gcashofficial/
👉 GCash’s Twitter/X: https://x.com/gcashofficial
👉 GCash’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gcashofficial/
👉 Luis Buenaventura’s Fb: https://www.fb.com/helloluis/
👉 Luis Buenaventura’s Twitter/X: https://x.com/helloluis