Philippines’ GoTyme Bank Unleashes Crypto Trading for 6.5M Users - A Mainstream Breakthrough

A major Philippine bank just ripped the 'off-ramp' out of crypto's traditional playbook.

GoTyme Bank isn't just dipping a toe—it's diving headfirst by integrating cryptocurrency trading directly into its core banking platform. This move effectively turns a traditional financial institution into a de facto crypto exchange for its massive user base.

The Scale of the Shift

We're talking about immediate access for millions of pre-verified customers. No more transferring funds to third-party exchanges, no more waiting days for fiat settlements. For its 6.5 million users, buying digital assets becomes as seamless as paying a bill. It's a direct challenge to the fragmented status quo, where banking and crypto have largely operated in separate worlds.

Why This Cuts Through the Noise

This isn't another fintech app launching a crypto widget. This is a licensed bank, with all the regulatory scrutiny and consumer trust that entails, deciding the future of finance includes blockchain-based assets. It bypasses the biggest friction points for mainstream adoption: complexity and perceived insecurity.

The strategy is brutally simple—leverage existing trust to onboard the next wave of users who'd never download a standalone crypto app. It's a masterclass in distribution, proving that sometimes the most powerful crypto innovation isn't a new blockchain, but a clever integration into an old one.

A massive, regulated user pool entering the market doesn't just add liquidity—it signals a profound shift in institutional sentiment. Watch for other regional banks to follow suit, scrambling to offer what's quickly becoming a baseline expectation. After all, in modern finance, if you're not offering crypto, you're basically just offering yesterday's news—and good luck charging fees for that.

GoTyme Targets Beginners With Simple In-App Crypto Trading

While GoTyme has not indicated whether more advanced trading tools will be added later, the bank says the service is intentionally designed for newcomers.

“Our product focuses on simplicity and reliability, designed for people who want to buy crypto confidently without complicated technical analysis or managing multiple apps,” CEO Nate Clarke said.

GoTyme, launched in October 2022 through a joint venture between Singapore’s Tyme Group and the Philippines’ Gokongwei Group, has seen rapid user growth.

The bank promotes a frictionless onboarding process, allowing users to open a bank account and debit card in as little as five minutes, a feature that now extends to crypto access as well.

The digital bank is also setting its sights beyond the Philippines. Clarke recently said GoTyme plans to expand into Vietnam and Indonesia, aiming to capture a larger share of Southeast Asia’s fast-growing digital banking market.

GoTyme Bank Launches Crypto Trading in the Philippines in Partnership with Alpaca https://t.co/ffWy6OGBil pic.twitter.com/ZX4zjGsE4Q

He noted that profitability is not yet a priority. “We are very much still in a growth phase. We are not optimizing for profitability at the moment.

What matters to us is building a growing and engaged customer base,” Clarke told The Digital Banker.

The Philippines continues to be one of the most active crypto markets globally. It ranks ninth on Chainalysis’ 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index, while local policymakers are considering a proposal to create a national strategic reserve backed by 10,000 BTC.

Philippine Senator Pushes to Put National Budget on Blockchain

As reported, Philippine Senator Bam Aquino is preparing a bill that WOULD place the country’s entire national budget and government financial transactions on a blockchain system, aiming to make public spending fully transparent and easily traceable by citizens.

In August, Aquino said the proposal would allow “every peso” to be logged on-chain, creating what he hopes will become the world’s first fully blockchain-based national budget.

The Philippines is emerging as a testing ground for public-sector blockchain initiatives.

Congressman Miguel Luis Villafuerte recently introduced a separate bill to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve of up to 10,000 BTC over five years.

According to the bill, the holdings could only be sold under strict conditions, such as retiring sovereign debt, and no more than 10% of the reserve may be liquidated in any two-year period after the minimum holding period expires.

As of November 2024, the Philippines’ debt had risen to ₱16.09 trillion ($285 billion), with domestic obligations accounting for nearly 68% of the total.