GMMG CEO Arlone Abello shares insights in a panel discussion on crypto identity, financial and market literacy
Regulation is often read as a constraint on business, but the Philippine crypto trading community is reading the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) latest proposal as a signal of strength. Global Miranda Miner Group (GMMG) said on 30 September 2026 that the BSP’s proposed freeze on new payment system operator registrations and tighter controls on virtual asset service providers (VASPs) show that the local crypto market is maturing.
The BSP’s draft circular, released for consultation earlier in September, has two main parts. It would suspend new registrations of Operators of Payment Systems (OPS) for 12 months while the central bank reviews its licensing framework. It would also require payment firms to deal with regulated VASPs only through direct arrangements, with enhanced due diligence, monitoring, and transaction and settlement limits.
Arlone Abello, CEO of GMMG and Founding Chairman of the Innovative Movement of the Philippine Association of Crypto Traders (IMPACT), made the business case at The Crypto Roundtable. “When every payment can be traced to a real business, users, banks and partners can deal with crypto platforms with the same confidence they have in any other financial service,” he said. “That is how the industry earns its place in mainstream finance.” He was joined on the panel by John Garcia, Head of Strategic and Market Education Ventures at GCash, Alden Yburan, Head of GCrypto, and Patrick Lao, Head of Retail at PDAX.
The market backdrop adds urgency. Total crypto market value recently climbed back above US3trillion,drivenbyBitcoinreachingaroundUS86,000, its highest level since late January. Open interest in perpetual futures neared US$160 billion, a sign that traders are taking on more leverage as activity picks up. Abello expects more Filipinos to enter the market as global crypto markets regain momentum.
The Crypto Roundtable brings together industry leaders and participants to discuss market literacy and the Philippine digital asset market
Participation is already substantial. About 10% of Filipinos now use crypto, and users are projected to reach nearly 12.8 million this year. The profile of those users has changed since the play-to-earn boom, with traders moving across from gold and equities, professionals applying familiar investment approaches to crypto, and younger Filipinos building crypto into their wider financial plans.
For businesses and professionals, the caution is that regulatory oversight does not mean risk-free investing. Regulation can strengthen safeguards, but it cannot by itself make people better investors. With more newcomers likely to arrive during the upswing, Abello said this is the right time for the industry to invest in education. GMMG will continue working with industry partners and regulators on technical analysis, risk management, market behavior and disciplined trading, with the next edition of The Crypto Roundtable set for November 2026 and details at globalmirandaminer.com.