Nearly three-quarters of Filipino consumers prefer to shop at merchants that accept stablecoins, even as security and fraud concerns remain the primary obstacle to daily use, according to a survey released Wednesday by digital asset payments firm Lydian.
The Digital Asset Appetite Index found that 72% of Philippine respondents are more likely to choose businesses offering stablecoin checkouts. The Philippines also recorded the highest rate of active stablecoin use among five emerging economies surveyed, with 36% of local respondents reporting transactions within the past 30 days.
Driving Factors for Adoption
Consumer appetite is largely driven by traditional financial friction. High transaction charges were cited as a primary payment pain point by 47% of Philippine respondents, while 40% cited general money transfer costs. Cross-border flows remain a key factor, with 27% of respondents sending or receiving international payments at least once a month.
Barriers to Everyday Use
Despite strong interest, safety concerns continue to limit retail adoption. Security and fraud risks were cited by 42% of Philippine respondents as the main barrier to using stablecoins for daily purchases, marking the highest level of concern across all surveyed jurisdictions.
Another 37% cited a lack of local merchant acceptance, while 26% pointed to uncertainty regarding transaction fees and hidden costs.
“The Philippines has a well-established digital payments ecosystem, and these findings suggest consumers are open to stablecoins becoming part of it,” Nikolas Huth, head of growth at Lydian, said. “Trust is essential if stablecoins are to move beyond investment and remittances into everyday transactions.”
The Shift Toward Digital Payments
The survey comes amid a broader national transition toward cashless commerce. Digital transactions accounted for 64.7% of total retail payment volume in the Philippines in 2025.
In May 2026, digital banking and merchant payment provider Maya partnered with Lydian to introduce a cryptocurrency payment feature across its business network. The initiative allows local merchants to accept dollar-pegged stablecoins with direct settlement in Philippine pesos. (Read More: Maya, Lydian Partner to Soon Enable ‘Pay with Stables’ for Ph)
The research was conducted by Sapio Research in September 2026 among 7,500 consumers aged 18 to 65 across Argentina, Indonesia, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines, with 1,500 respondents per market. The study has a national margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
Related Story: Philippines Leads Five Asian Markets in Business Stablecoin Adoption, Survey Shows
This article is published on BitPinas: Most Filipinos Favor Merchants Accepting Stablecoins, Lydian Survey Shows, as Security Concerns Linger
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