Coins.ph isn’t just another crypto exchange. For over 18 million Filipinos, it’s the bridge between their daily cash flow and the world of Bitcoin and Ethereum. You can buy crypto, pay your electric bill, send money to family, and top up your mobile load-all in one app. But as of 2025, users are walking away. Ratings on Google Play dropped from 3.3 to 2.7 stars. What’s really going on with Coins.ph? Is it still the safest, easiest way to get into crypto in the Philippines-or has it become too slow, too expensive, and too broken to trust?
What Coins.ph Actually Does (Beyond Crypto Trading)
Most crypto exchanges let you buy Bitcoin and trade altcoins. Coins.ph does that too-but it also handles your electricity bill, your GCash transfers, your M Lhuillier cash-ins, and your PESONet bank payments. That’s not a side feature. It’s the whole point. Coins.ph was built for Filipinos who don’t have bank accounts but still want to use digital money. It’s licensed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which means it’s one of the few crypto platforms in the country that’s legally allowed to hold your money and process payments. That’s huge. Most international exchanges like Binance or Coinbase can’t offer this level of local integration.You can deposit as little as 5 PHP using Palawan Pawnshop or Cebuana Lhuillier. Withdrawals go straight to your GCash, PayMaya, or bank account via InstaPay. There’s no need for a credit card or international wire. That’s why it’s still the go-to for beginners. But if you’re looking to day trade or use leverage, you’ll hit walls fast.
Trading on Coins.ph: Simple for Beginners, Limited for Pros
Coins.ph gives you two ways to trade: Coins Convert and Coins Pro. Coins Convert is for people who just want to buy Bitcoin with PHP and hold it. You pick the amount, click buy, and it’s done. No charts. No orders. No confusion. It’s like buying a movie ticket.Coins Pro is where things get real. You get spot trading with over 80 PHP pairs and 11 USDT pairs. You can place market, limit, and stop-limit orders. Minimum trades start at PHP 50 for most pairs, and PHP 60 for BTC/PHP, XRP/PHP, and USDT/PHP. That’s low enough for small investors. But here’s the catch: no margin trading. No futures. No stop-loss automation. No PAMM accounts. If you’ve used Binance or Kraken before, you’ll feel like you’re using a 2018 smartphone while everyone else has an iPhone 15.
Trading fees are 0.1% to 0.15% depending on your 30-day volume. That’s not terrible-but it’s not cheap either. On Binance, you can drop to 0.08% with BNB. On Coins.ph, even if you trade PHP 100,000 a month, you’re still stuck at 0.1%. For high-volume traders, there’s an OTC desk with a PHP 1 million minimum. But that’s not for most people.
Supported Coins: Plenty, But Not Always Liquid
Coins.ph claims to support over 206 cryptocurrencies. That sounds impressive. But here’s the reality: you can only trade about 170 of them. And not all of them move. You won’t find much volume on obscure tokens like SHIB or DOGE on Coins.ph. The real action is on BTC, ETH, XRP, USDC, and PHPC. Even stablecoins like PYUSD are available, which is rare for local exchanges.That’s good for safety-you’re not getting sucked into pump-and-dump coins. But bad if you’re looking to diversify beyond the big names. If you want to trade Solana, Polygon, or Avalanche on a local platform, you’re better off using an international exchange with a VPN. Coins.ph doesn’t offer them. And even if it did, the liquidity would be too thin to make meaningful trades.
Why Users Are Leaving: Customer Service and Glitches
The biggest complaint? Customer service. Users report waiting days for responses to simple questions like “Why was my deposit rejected?” or “Where’s my Bitcoin?” The support team only operates during business hours, and even then, responses are inconsistent. During market spikes-like when Bitcoin jumped 15% in December 2025-the app froze for hours. People couldn’t sell. Couldn’t withdraw. Couldn’t even check their balance.Reddit threads and Facebook groups are full of posts like: “I tried to sell 0.1 BTC at 2 AM. The app crashed. By morning, the price dropped 8%. I lost PHP 2,000. No one replied.” That’s not a bug. That’s a system failure. And it’s happening more often.
Another issue: KYC verification takes too long. Some users wait 3-5 days to get their accounts fully verified. That’s unacceptable in 2026. Competitors like Binance or Coinbase verify in under 10 minutes. Coins.ph still relies on manual checks for many cases, even though AI tools exist to automate this.
Fees, Deposits, and Withdrawals: Local Access, Global Costs
Coins.ph wins on payment options. You can deposit via:- Palawan Pawnshop
- Cebuana Lhuillier
- M Lhuillier
- GCash
- PayMaya
- InstaPay
- PESONet
- Direct bank transfer
- Crypto deposit (BTC, ETH, USDT, etc.)
That’s unmatched in the Philippines. But withdrawals? They’re slow. Crypto withdrawals take 10-30 minutes. Bank transfers via InstaPay take 15-60 seconds. But if you’re withdrawing PHP from Coins.ph to your bank account, you might wait up to 24 hours. Why? Because the platform batches transactions to cut costs. That’s fine for them-but frustrating for you if you need cash fast.
There are no fees for deposits via GCash or PayMaya. But if you use Dragonpay or cash-in at pawnshops, you pay a small service fee (usually 1-2%). Withdrawals of PHP to banks are free. Crypto withdrawals have network fees-same as everywhere else.
Coins.ph vs. International Exchanges: The Trade-Off
Here’s the truth: if you want the lowest fees, fastest execution, and advanced tools, go with Binance or Bybit. They’re cheaper, faster, and more powerful.But if you live in the Philippines and don’t have a bank account? Or if you need to pay your water bill with crypto? Or if you want to buy Bitcoin with cash from your local pawnshop? Then Coins.ph is still the only option.
It’s not the best exchange. But it’s the most practical for millions of Filipinos. That’s its strength-and its weakness. It’s not built for traders. It’s built for users who need crypto to live, not to speculate.
Is Coins.ph Safe? Yes. But Is It Reliable?
Yes, it’s safe. BSP license means your funds are protected under Philippine law. There’s no risk of the platform vanishing overnight like some unregulated exchanges. Your crypto is stored in cold wallets. Two-factor authentication is required. Account recovery is possible.But safety doesn’t mean reliability. You can be safe and still get locked out of your account for days. You can be secure and still have your trades fail because the server crashed. Coins.ph is like a sturdy house with a broken doorbell. You’re protected inside-but no one hears you when you knock.
Who Should Use Coins.ph?
- Beginners who want to buy their first Bitcoin with cash
- Daily users who pay bills, send money, or top up mobile loads
- Unbanked Filipinos who rely on pawnshops and convenience stores
- Long-term holders who don’t trade often
Who should avoid it?
- Active traders who need leverage, stop-losses, or advanced charts
- High-frequency traders who need sub-second execution
- Users who value fast support-expect delays
- People who want the cheapest fees-look elsewhere
Final Verdict: A Necessary Tool, Not a Perfect One
Coins.ph isn’t trying to be Binance. It’s trying to be the digital wallet of the Philippines. And in that role, it’s still the leader. It’s the only exchange that lets you turn cash from a pawnshop into Bitcoin in under 10 minutes. That’s magic.But magic doesn’t fix broken customer service. It doesn’t fix slow withdrawals. It doesn’t fix a trading platform that freezes during volatility.
If you’re just starting out, or if you need crypto to pay your bills, Coins.ph is still your best bet. But if you’re serious about trading, treat it like a side tool-not your main exchange. Use it to buy Bitcoin with cash. Then move it to a global platform for better trading tools.
Coins.ph won’t disappear. It’s too big, too licensed, too tied to the Filipino economy. But if it doesn’t fix its tech and support issues soon, it won’t just lose users-it’ll lose its relevance.
Is Coins.ph safe to use in 2026?
Yes, Coins.ph is safe because it’s licensed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines. This means it follows strict financial regulations, stores crypto in cold wallets, and requires two-factor authentication. Your funds are legally protected. However, safety doesn’t mean the platform is always reliable-technical outages and slow support can still leave you locked out during critical moments.
Can I withdraw PHP from Coins.ph to my bank account?
Yes, you can withdraw PHP to any Philippine bank account using InstaPay or PESONet. Withdrawals are free, but processing times vary. InstaPay transfers usually complete within 15-60 seconds. PESONet transfers may take up to 24 hours. Coins.ph batches transactions to reduce costs, so even if your bank is fast, the platform may delay the send.
What are the trading fees on Coins.ph?
Coins.ph charges 0.1% to 0.15% for spot trading, depending on your trading volume over the past 30 days. Higher volume = lower fee. There are no fees for depositing via GCash, PayMaya, or cash-in at pawnshops. Withdrawals of crypto incur standard network fees (like Bitcoin miner fees). There are no hidden fees, but compared to global exchanges like Binance, Coins.ph’s fees are on the higher side.
Does Coins.ph offer margin trading or futures?
No, Coins.ph does not offer margin trading, leverage, futures, or options. You can only do spot trading on Coins Pro. This makes it unsuitable for active traders who want to amplify gains or hedge positions. If you need advanced tools, you’ll need to use an international exchange like Binance or Bybit.
How long does KYC verification take on Coins.ph?
KYC verification can take anywhere from a few hours to 5 business days. If your documents are clear and match your ID, you might get approved in under 24 hours. But if there’s a mismatch, blurry photo, or system backlog, it can take much longer. This is one of the biggest frustrations for new users, especially compared to global exchanges that verify in minutes using AI.
Can I use Coins.ph if I’m not in the Philippines?
Technically, yes-you can download the app and create an account from anywhere. But you won’t be able to deposit or withdraw PHP unless you have a Philippine bank account or access to local payment networks like GCash or Palawan Pawnshop. Coins.ph is designed for Filipino users. International users can’t use it effectively without local payment methods.
What’s the minimum amount to start trading on Coins.ph?
You can start with as little as 5 PHP for deposits. For trading on Coins Pro, the minimum order is PHP 50 for most pairs. For BTC/PHP, XRP/PHP, USDT/PHP, USDC/PHP, and PYUSD/PHP, the minimum is PHP 60. This makes it accessible even for users with very small budgets.
Does Coins.ph have a desktop version?
Coins.ph doesn’t have a dedicated desktop app, but you can access all features through a web browser at coins.ph. The website works well on laptops and desktops, and it mirrors the mobile app’s functionality. However, the interface isn’t optimized for large screens, so trading on a big monitor feels clunky compared to platforms like Binance or Kraken.
Are there any hidden fees on Coins.ph?
No hidden fees. All fees are clearly listed: 0.1%-0.15% for trading, network fees for crypto withdrawals, and small service charges when depositing via pawnshops. Coins.ph doesn’t charge for deposits via GCash, PayMaya, or bank transfers. There are no account maintenance fees or inactivity fees. Transparency is one of its strengths.
What should I do if Coins.ph crashes during a price spike?
If the app crashes during high volatility, you can’t trade until it’s back online. The best strategy is to avoid holding large positions on Coins.ph if you plan to actively trade. Use it to buy and hold, then move your crypto to a more reliable exchange for active trading. If you lose money because of downtime, there’s no compensation-this is a known risk with the platform.
