Tech experts call for urgent developer education and regulatory clarity as stablecoin adoption accelerates globally

 

The Philippines is positioned to lead the global shift toward stablecoin-based remittances provided it prioritizes developer education and formalizes regulatory pathways, according to fintech and blockchain leaders at the recent “Settle In! Manila” panel organized by Morph and Bitget’s Blockchain4Her and Blockchain For Youth initiatives on the global rise of stablecoins and the future of digital payments.

Over one million OFWs send remittances home annually through channels that charge fees as high as six percent and take days to clear. Stablecoin transfers can settle near-instantly at a fraction of the cost, a difference that directly affects household income for millions of Filipino families. OFW remittances rose 3.5% in January 2026 despite seasonal slowdowns, underscoring continued and growing dependence on these flows.

“The Philippines is one of the many countries and regions that stand to benefit the most from stablecoin technology, whether it be through lower costs or settlement fees. The country is ground zero for the shift from a playground for speculation to a mission-critical rail for real-world utility,” said David Hsiao, Chief Marketing Officer of Morph, a blockchain settlement platform, which recently launched a Universal Settlement Layer backed by a $150 million Payment Accelerator to serve the trillion-dollar stablecoin economy.

Global market trends reinforce the call. Bitget Country Manager for Southeast Asia Jose Mendoza noted that stablecoin use for payroll and B2B invoices grew by more than 60% over the past year. Bitget Wallet card spending surged 28-fold, and Visa-issued crypto card spending jumped 525%, signaling a clear shift from speculation to real-world payments.

“Our goal is to make stablecoin payments feel local and familiar,” Mendoza said. “Users shouldn’t need to understand the underlying complexity. By supporting builders who focus on ‘invisible tech,’ we ensure the end-user simply experiences 10x faster payments and significantly lower fees.”

Eli Rabadon, Chief Executive Officer of DVCode, focused on the developer gap. “The technology is ready. What we need now is education and clarity so builders can integrate stablecoins into apps that everyday Filipinos will actually use. There’s huge potential to create real-world utility that touches lives immediately.”

He noted that Filipino developers, alongside the country’s large base of freelancers and remote workers already paid in digital currencies, are a natural engine for stablecoin adoption, but need structured support to build compliant products at scale.

On the regulatory front, Raymond Babst, Chief Executive Officer of DA5, argued the country’s existing virtual asset framework is a competitive advantage that must be activated. “The Philippines already has a regulatory framework for virtual assets that can position us ahead of other Asian markets.”

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has reviewed stablecoin proposals and conducted pilot tests, but panelists called for accelerated timelines as global adoption outpaces local policy.

Xpress Super App and the New Geography of Mobility in Southeast Asia

 

Xpress Super App is emerging as a key player in Southeast Asia’s shifting mobility landscape, highlighted by its recognition at the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch Forum 2026. Moving beyond traditional ride-hailing, Xpress is building an integrated, electric-first mobility ecosystem across transport hubs and tourism markets. Backed by Cebuana Lhuillier, it combines EV taxis, e-trikes, and cashless payments to deliver predictability in fragmented markets. As mobility evolves into infrastructure, Xpress is positioning early—aligning with regional shifts toward electrification, efficiency, and scalable digital transport systems.

SINGAPORE — Inside the halls of the Mandarin Oriental, where this year’s Forbes Asia 100 to Watch Forum 2026 convened founders, investors, and operators from across the region, one theme stood out: momentum is no longer evenly distributed.

Some markets are accelerating faster. And some companies are quietly building the infrastructure to carry that acceleration forward.

Among them is the Philippines’ Xpress Super App.

Recognized as part of the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2025, Xpress represents a new class of Southeast Asian platforms gaining visibility for how they scale within complex, high-growth environments.

A Different Kind of Mobility Story

For years, Southeast Asia’s mobility narrative was defined by scale—more drivers, more riders, more cities.

But scale is no longer the differentiator.

What defines the next generation of platforms is efficiency—how effectively they move people, capital, and behavior at the same time.

Xpress has leaned into that shift.

Backed by Cebuana Lhuillier, the platform is evolving beyond ride-hailing into a more integrated mobility layer—combining electric vehicles, tourism transport, and cashless infrastructure within a unified ecosystem.

In practice:

Electric taxis positioned at key transport hubs

E-trike networks serving tourism-heavy zones

Cashless payments bridging local and international users

This is no longer just movement—it’s predictability.

And in emerging markets, predictability is where value compounds.

“Seizing The Momentum”

The forum’s theme—“Seizing The Momentum”—reflects how quickly the region is shifting.

Discussions centered on AI, capital deployment, and scalable platforms built for fragmented markets.

Within that context, Xpress’ positioning sharpens.

It is not competing purely on price or availability. It is aligning with a broader transition: the electrification and digitization of everyday transport.

Once mobility becomes an enabling layer—touching tourism, commerce, and urban flow—growth stops being linear.

A Signal Beyond Recognition

At the forum, Mr.Cliff Cabungcal, President of Xpress, received the recognition on behalf of the company.

The moment signals more than achievement.

It reflects:

A Philippine platform gaining regional relevance

Technology replacing legacy transport inefficiencies

A scalable model built for real-world constraints

And in Southeast Asia, constraint is not a weakness—it is the proving ground.

What Comes Next

If the last decade was about expansion, the next will be about refinement.

Cleaner fleets. Smarter systems. More precise deployment.

Xpress is positioning early:

Electric vehicles reduce fuel exposure

Digital payments expand demand

Integrated systems create operational leverage

Individually incremental. Collectively transformative.

As the region accelerates, platforms that anticipate these shifts—rather than react to them—move first.

And increasingly, they define the direction others follow.

About Xpress Super App

Xpress Super App is a Philippine-based mobility platform redefining how people move across cities and tourism destinations through an integrated, electric-first ecosystem. Recognized at the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch Forum 2026 and included in the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch 2025, Xpress is emerging as a scalable mobility infrastructure layer in Southeast Asia. Backed by Cebuana Lhuillier, the platform combines EV taxis, e-trikes, and cashless payments to deliver predictable, efficient transport in complex, high-growth markets. As regional demand shifts toward electrification and seamless digital experiences, Xpress is positioning at the intersection of mobility, tourism, and urban flow—unlocking more reliable movement, expanding access, and enabling smarter transport systems at scale.

Waymo Expansion Signals New Robotaxi Race as Carziqo Advances Smart Fleet Platform

 

As Waymo expands robotaxi services, Carziqo is positioning its smart autonomous fleet platform as part of the next wave of driverless urban mobility.

MANILA, Philippines — The global race for driverless ride-hailing is entering a more competitive stage as autonomous vehicle companies move from technology demonstrations toward larger-scale commercial operations.

Waymo’s continued expansion of robotaxi services has become one of the clearest signs that autonomous ride-hailing is no longer only a futuristic concept. As more cities begin to test, accept and integrate driverless mobility services, the industry is shifting its focus from whether autonomous vehicles can operate safely to how efficiently they can be deployed, managed and scaled.

This changing market environment is also creating new opportunities for companies such as Carziqo, which is developing a smart autonomous fleet platform built around driverless ride-hailing, intelligent dispatch and fleet-based operations.

Unlike traditional ride-hailing platforms that rely heavily on human drivers, the next generation of mobility companies is expected to compete through autonomous technology, vehicle utilization, remote management systems and city-level operating efficiency. In this emerging landscape, Waymo represents one of the leading robotaxi operators, while Carziqo is positioning itself as a platform-driven fleet builder focused on scalable autonomous mobility.

Carziqo’s strategy centers on the idea that the future of driverless transportation will not depend on vehicles alone. The company is placing greater emphasis on how autonomous fleets are organized, dispatched, monitored and converted into productive mobility assets.

Through its smart fleet platform, Carziqo aims to connect autonomous vehicles with urban travel demand, using centralized management tools to improve route allocation, reduce idle time and enhance overall fleet efficiency. The company’s model reflects a broader industry view that successful robotaxi operations will require a combination of self-driving capability, cloud-based coordination, operational supervision and sustainable revenue design.

The rise of Waymo has also increased pressure across the autonomous ride-hailing sector. As established players expand their services, emerging companies are being pushed to define clearer business models and stronger operational advantages. For Carziqo, this means building a platform that does not simply follow the robotaxi trend, but attempts to create a more flexible structure for fleet growth and long-term asset operation.

Industry observers say the next stage of competition will likely be shaped by four major factors: safety, service availability, fleet utilization and user trust. Companies that can maintain stable operations while expanding across different urban environments may gain a stronger position in the future mobility market.

Carziqo’s platform-based approach is designed to address these challenges from the operational side. Instead of viewing autonomous vehicles as isolated units, the company treats them as part of a connected fleet network. This allows the platform to support dispatch coordination, remote monitoring, maintenance planning and performance optimization across multiple vehicles.

The competition between different autonomous mobility models is expected to intensify as robotaxi services become more visible to the public. Waymo’s expansion has already helped raise awareness of driverless ride-hailing, while companies like Carziqo are working to develop alternative paths that combine autonomous technology with intelligent fleet management.

For cities, the growth of driverless ride-hailing could bring changes to passenger transport, traffic efficiency and the economics of mobility services. For companies, however, the challenge remains complex: they must prove that autonomous fleets can operate safely, efficiently and profitably at scale.

As the market develops, Carziqo’s progress will likely be measured not only by the number of vehicles it deploys, but also by how effectively its platform can manage those vehicles as part of a larger transportation system.

The driverless ride-hailing industry is now moving beyond early experimentation. With Waymo expanding robotaxi operations and Carziqo accelerating its smart fleet platform, the sector is entering a new phase where technology, scale and operational discipline will determine the next leaders in autonomous urban mobility.

Beyond the Knife: PDO Thread Lifts at Mold Manila for a Natural, Summer-Ready Lift

 

This April, Mold Manila reminds clients that looking younger doesn’t always mean surgery. PDO thread lifts offer a subtle, supportive lift with minimal downtime—so you head into summer looking refreshed, not “redone.” Learn who’s a good candidate for PDO thread lifts, real-world downtime, how pairing with skin-priming care can enhance results, and why Mold Manila’s safety-first consultations matter—timed for early April bookings.

Mold Manila, a premier aesthetic destination in Quezon City, officially announces its spotlight on PDO (Polydioxanone) thread lift services this pre-summer season. Designed for those seeking a subtle, supportive lift without the downtime of surgery, the treatment offers a "refreshed, not redone" look just in time for the summer holidays.

“We believe ‘younger-looking’ should still look like you,” shares the Mold Manila Aesthetics Team. “PDO threads offer a noticeable yet nuanced change—lift with intention—so clients feel confident for summer and beyond, without the long recovery periods associated with traditional surgery.”

The Science of Subtle Lifting PDO threads are fine, medical-grade, dissolvable sutures placed beneath the skin to provide a structural “hold.” As they gradually dissolve, they stimulate the body’s natural collagen production, softly lifting areas such as the cheeks, jawline, and brows while preserving the client's natural expressions.

Mold Manila’s specialized options include:

• Cog Face Thread Lift: Focused on defining the cheeks and jawline.

• Foxy Eyes Thread Lift: For a brighter, more open look around the brows and outer eyes.

The "Real-Life" Recovery Recognizing the busy schedules of their clientele, Mold Manila emphasizes a transparent approach to downtime. While results are often visible immediately, the clinic notes that temporary redness, swelling, or mild bruising may occur for a few days. Most clients return to daily activities shortly after treatment, provided they follow simple aftercare such as avoiding strenuous exercise and heavy facial pressure.

Safety-First Consultations Each journey at Mold Manila begins with a thorough facial assessment. Licensed practitioners review medical history—including considerations for pregnancy and keloid tendencies—to ensure that only appropriate candidates proceed.

“Our goal is a transparent discussion of benefits and realistic outcomes,” the team adds. This safety-first approach includes mapping the timing of treatments, often spacing PDO threads with skin-priming facials or the Mold Plasma Lift to ensure results are both pigment-safe and effective for Filipino skin.

Appointment slots for the first half of April are now open. Clients are encouraged to book a consultation to discuss personalized plans tailored to their unique features and schedule

About MOLD Manila
MOLD Manila is a premium, clinician-led aesthetic clinic based in Quezon City, Philippines. Known for its technology-driven, non-surgical treatments and personalized care, the clinic specializes in skin rejuvenation, non-invasive contouring, laser treatments, and IV wellness therapies. MOLD Manila is committed to education-first, results-driven aesthetics designed for real Filipino skin.