Philippines Breaks New Ground: Grab Users Can Now Fuel Wallets With Crypto
Superapp leapfrogs traditional finance—Grab just plugged crypto into everyday life for millions.
No more bank queues, no more card declines. Filipino Grab users now bypass fiat altogether, topping up wallets directly with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and major altcoins. The move pressures legacy payment rails still charging 3% fees for the privilege of moving your own money.
Watch out, remittance giants. When a ride-hailing app offers better cross-border payments than Western Union, the revolution’s officially gone mainstream. (And yes—banks are still ‘evaluating blockchain solutions’ while startups eat their lunch.)
Crypto is stepping into everyday life, and this time, it’s hopping on a Grab ride. Grab, the most popular ride-hailing app in Southeast Asia, just added a new feature for its users in the Philippines. You can now top up your GrabPay wallet using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC, and USDT.
So, what does this mean for millions of Filipinos, and how will it change everyday payments?
From Singapore to the Philippines: Crypto Enters the Mainstream
Grab first tested crypto wallet top-ups in Singapore last year. After a strong response, the company decided to expand this feature to the Philippines, a country with over 112 million people and one of the world’s most active crypto user bases.
This rollout is possible thanks to a partnership between Grab, Triple-A a digital payment company, and PDAX, a homegrown crypto exchange. Meanwhile, the partnership also ensures that all transactions are secure.
Triple-A is regulated by MAS (Singapore) and FinCEN (U.S.), while PDAX is licensed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Together, they now allow users to add funds to their GrabPay wallets using popular digital assets like Bitcoin (BTC), ethereum (ETH), and stablecoins USDC and USDT.
Grab’s Push for Financial Inclusion
Grab says this isn’t just about tech, it’s about access. Many people in the Philippines don’t use traditional banks. Crypto, for them, can offer a faster, more flexible option.
With this update, even someone who earns in crypto or holds stablecoins can now use that value in real life, with just a few taps on their phone.
Impact on Everyday Users
According to Triple-A CEO Eric Barbier, the goal is to make digital currencies more useful in daily life. “We saw great adoption in Singapore,” and the Philippines is clearly ready for this next step.
Grab’s VP for the Philippines, CJ Lacsican, added that this MOVE helps promote financial inclusion, especially for people who don’t have access to traditional banking but are active in crypto.
How to Cash In on Grab Using Crypto
- Open the Grab app and select ‘Cryptocurrencies’ to cash in.
- Choose a token and network (BTC, ETH, USDC, or USDT).
- Enter amount in pesos and confirm details.
- Send crypto to the provided wallet address.
- Funds appear instantly in your GrabPay wallet.
From topping up wallets to booking rides, crypto is quietly becoming part of daily life in the Philippines.
