Cheapest way to send php to the Philippines via bitcoin? (normie-friendly)

[Tyr808]

If I have to pay someone who is in the philippines and is a total normie not into crypto, I normally tell them to make a coins.ph account, tell me the bitcoin address associated to their account, and send them bitcoin which they now can directly convert into php.
Convenient, but very pricey in terms of fees and conversion rate.

Any other alternative you guys are aware of?

[mk4]

Unfortunately, unless the person you're transacting with is willing to learn the ropes a bit and transact peer-to-peer, you're out of luck. Coins.ph is simply the easiest option due to the far better UI/UX and due to the variety of withdrawal options.

Next to Coins.ph would probably be Abra(https://abra.com/), also an exchange, but with slightly worse UI and less withdrawal methods, but the fees tend to be lower. But if you're just planning on transacting once, just go with Coins.ph. If you're planning on transacting again in the future, probably Abra as the fees tend to pile up.

I've created a short thread in the past comparing Coins.ph and Abra's fees: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5174388

[crwth]

The best case is asking for a bank account or even GCash. You can convert your crypto that way and pay them.

Anyway, if the person has no bank account to transfer anything (I think this is the best way for now because of the ZERO fees when transacting even from different banks) the best approach is coins.ph. It's straight to the point. You could transfer money in there just like what mk4 said.

In terms of conversion rates, using coins.pro for converting your BTC to PHP is a good plan compared to the native conversion in coins.ph. Fees in the conversion in coins.ph is a pain in the wallet. You could lessen your conversion fees when you use the coins.pro exchange, but it takes a while, though. You need the extra time.

[Theb]

If I have to pay someone who is in the philippines and is a total normie not into crypto, I normally tell them to make a coins.ph account, tell me the bitcoin address associated to their account, and send them bitcoin which they now can directly convert into php.
Convenient, but very pricey in terms of fees and conversion rate.

Any other alternative you guys are aware of?

Believe it or not crypto isn't really popular in the Philippines so I really doubt that most of the Filipinos you will be introducing the Coins.ph wallet app will see it as a convenient way of receiving payment. It may be convenient on your side but them taking some time to learn the app as well as verifying their accounts first (which is really time-consuming) through KYC requirements just to withdraw it in cash is something that they won't really like. What's popular in the Philippines though are remittance centers like Western Union where I know a lot of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) use to send money back here in the Philippines. I did visit their website right now to see why their services are popular to OFWs and come to my surprise that they do have the option for bank transfers with 0$ fees.

I used their price estimator page to give you an idea of how much fees you will have as well as their conversion rates for USD to PHP.

Bank to Bank Transfer

Bank to Western Union Remittance Centers

Comparing both options on how the person will be receiving the 2000$ in Philippine Peso (₱) you can see that Western Union's Bank Account to Bank Account transfer option is a much better choice for both parties aside from it being more convenient on both sides and also having 0 fees you'll also have a better exchange rate for your money. I have some friends who have OFW parents and they say that Western Union is something they commonly use when sending money from abroad. Seeing the current average network fees in Bitcoin right now I can see that 3.99$ for their Bank to Western Union Remittance Center option is considerably cheaper the only downside for both options are the cash transfer isn't instant (4-5 business days), if you have the option to use fiat money instead of BTC I think using a remittance center should be in your considerations.

[Tyr808]

Thanks guys, I get the simplest crypto-to-php option is still coins.ph. Really a shame the fees and conversion rate are so steep, strange there isn't any competitor now that the country is becoming more crypto friendly.

By the way, forgive the off topic, what are the best avenue for conversion in PHP once in Manila as of now?

[Bttzed03]

Thanks guys, I get the simplest crypto-to-php option is still coins.ph. Really a shame the fees and conversion rate are so steep, strange there isn't any competitor now that the country is becoming more crypto friendly.

If you mean to say other apps that can easily converts Btc to Php, Abra app has that feature too.
If you mean exchanges, there are already a few but not as popular unfortunately - List of live crypto exchanges in PH

By the way, forgive the off topic, what are the best avenue for conversion in PHP once in Manila as of now?

I don't know what is "best" for you since that's subjective. Check the link above and choose which one you prefer.

Another option is using Bitcoin ATM - https://coinatmradar.com/city/292/bitcoin-atm-manila/

[ice18]

Thanks guys, I get the simplest crypto-to-php option is still coins.ph. Really a shame the fees and conversion rate are so steep, strange there isn't any competitor now that the country is becoming more crypto friendly.

By the way, forgive the off topic, what are the best avenue for conversion in PHP once in Manila as of now?

Try Abra.com, in terms of conversion fees abra has good rate compared to coinsph, abra also has a feature "Send to Abra user" transaction fee is free you only have to pay for blockchain fees, you can tell the receiver to create account on abra then he can withdraw it on their own bank account for free or partner abra teller tambunting. 

[samcrypto]

Sending bitcoin coins ph to coins ph consist of no cost as far as i know pero kung ako yung tatanggap ng pera mo better na fiat money ito para fixed na ang value at hinde malugi kapag hinde ko agad na encash yung pinadala mo. Coins ph is good naman medyo malaki lang yung fees minsan pero ok lang naman, if you still want other options or other wallet then Abra is the best alternative for now.

[Asuspawer09]

Thanks guys, I get the simplest crypto-to-php option is still coins.ph. Really a shame the fees and conversion rate are so steep, strange there isn't any competitor now that the country is becoming more crypto friendly.

By the way, forgive the off topic, what are the best avenue for conversion in PHP once in Manila as of now?

Try Abra.com, in terms of conversion fees abra has good rate compared to coinsph, abra also has a feature "Send to Abra user" transaction fee is free you only have to pay for blockchain fees, you can tell the receiver to create account on abra then he can withdraw it on their own bank account for free or partner abra teller tambunting.  

I just installed Abra since im also looking for a Coins.ph alternative i've even try PDAX exchange so far in my experience ABRA it pretty similar to coins when it comes to everything deposit cashout etc.



Good thing na mayroong mobile application itong ABRA sobrang laking factor kumpara sa PDAX exchange na walang mobile application. Also kumpara naman sa coins.ph massecured itong ABRA masmaadming option pagdating sa security at may seed pa.

[Tyr808]

Not gonna try Abra as the people I send money to wouldn't know how to cash out.
My situation is simple. Even though I am familiar with bitcoin, the people I send money to aren't at all. Most Filipinos fall in that category.
The Abra guys could work on their user interface and making things easier for those people and they'd sure get a bigger slice of business.

[Tyr808]

Another option is using Bitcoin ATM - https://coinatmradar.com/city/292/bitcoin-atm-manila/

There's only one bitcoin atm in the whole country and that's the sunette tower atm which has got a very bad reputation and poor support service unfortunately.

[maxreish]

Another option is using Bitcoin ATM - https://coinatmradar.com/city/292/bitcoin-atm-manila/

There's only one bitcoin atm in the whole country and that's the sunette tower atm which has got a very bad reputation and poor support service unfortunately.

If this is the case lalo na at nsa selected areas like ang bitcoin ATM at iilan pa lang naman sa Pilipinas. Then no other alternative way kung hindi ang direct nalang ng cashout from coins.ph to the remitances and name it to the receiver nalang directly so there is less convertion fees and transfer fees.

Or best nga na fiat money nalang ang isend kung mas npapamahal ka sa fees. Anyway coins.ph to bank din ang mas prefer ko.

[bL4nkcode]

Not gonna try Abra as the people I send money to wouldn't know how to cash out.
My situation is simple. Even though I am familiar with bitcoin, the people I send money to aren't at all. Most Filipinos fall in that category.

In that case, why don't you just make a coins.ph account, of course, you need to comply with the KYC procedure, can't help but that's the proper way.
Send your bitcoins to your coins.ph account and ask the bank account of the person you know here in PH and send them using coins.ph.
That's the only way you can choose if the person you're going to send has zero knowledge in crypto.

Or, just be patient to teach them to understand bitcoins and tell them to create verified coins.ph account then sends your bitcoin (into their PHP wallet).
But of course, like what you had said, the conversion rate in coins.ph is very high compared to other exchange/wallets here in PH so it's the negative side that you need to take.

Lastly, forget of sending bitcoins, and just use western union for cross-border transfer.

[Hakdog20]

Well, if you want to convert your bitcoin to php with cheap fee only, you can use gcash app. You just convert your bitcoin to php then transact it to
the gcash app. They don't have any fees that will lessen in your transact money.

[Tyr808]

In that case, why don't you just make a coins.ph account, of course, you need to comply with the KYC procedure, can't help but that's the proper way.

Wrong.
To send php to someone in the phils just by sending btc you don't need to make a coins.ph account. They do.

[Tyr808]

Well, if you want to convert your bitcoin to php with cheap fee only, you can use gcash app. You just convert your bitcoin to php then transact it to
the gcash app. They don't have any fees that will lessen in your transact money.

What I need to do is specified in the OP. I want IT illiterate people to receive php from me while I send btc. Coins.ph so far seems the only method which is unfortunate due to the exorbitant fees and conversion rate.

Philippines is a country driven by remittances and overseas incoming funds, would be good to see some healthy competition in the industry.

[bL4nkcode]

In that case, why don't you just make a coins.ph account, of course, you need to comply with the KYC procedure, can't help but that's the proper way.

Wrong.
To send php to someone in the phils just by sending btc you don't need to make a coins.ph account. They do.

I know, read what I had post again.

I'm trying to help with that suggestion so that you can send directly from coins to their bank account(s).

[Theb]

If I have to pay someone who is in the philippines and is a total normie not into crypto, I normally tell them to make a coins.ph account, tell me the bitcoin address associated to their account, and send them bitcoin which they now can directly convert into php.
Convenient, but very pricey in terms of fees and conversion rate.

Any other alternative you guys are aware of?

Not gonna try Abra as the people I send money to wouldn't know how to cash out.
My situation is simple. Even though I am familiar with bitcoin, the people I send money to aren't at all. Most Filipinos fall in that category.
The Abra guys could work on their user interface and making things easier for those people and they'd sure get a bigger slice of business.

I don't understand your reasoning here. You were just saying in your OP that you want "normies" to create a Coins.ph account even though they aren't aware of the app mostly yet you don't want them to try Abra which is the same and the closes competitor of Coins.ph, they are basically the same service and both of them if introduce to new people that are not into cryptocurrencies will just take the same time to learn the app/service itself. If you are looking for alternatives here for sending Bitcoin then this is the best thing you have as this is the only alternative for Coins.ph here in the Philippines. But if you still insists on not introducing Abra to your Filipino "normies" I guess your only choice left is a non-BTC transaction to send them money to like what I previously suggested.

Well, if you want to convert your bitcoin to php with cheap fee only, you can use gcash app. You just convert your bitcoin to php then transact it to
the gcash app. They don't have any fees that will lessen in your transact money.

What I need to do is specified in the OP. I want IT illiterate people to receive php from me while I send btc. Coins.ph so far seems the only method which is unfortunate due to the exorbitant fees and conversion rate.

Philippines is a country driven by remittances and overseas incoming funds, would be good to see some healthy competition in the industry.

And FYI you can send BTC to Philippine Peso in Abra because it has a Peso Wallet in-app. Here is also the full list of fiat currencies they have in-app for their international users.

Can someone send me Bitcoin if my wallet is not set to Bitcoin?

Yes, Abra will automatically convert Bitcoin to your current wallet's currency and apply the current exchange rate. For transfer between two BTC wallets, no conversion will be performed.

Please note, a sender will have to choose which currency wallet to send to.

[Tyr808]

I don't understand your reasoning here. You were just saying in your OP that you want "normies" to create a Coins.ph account even though they aren't aware of the app mostly yet you don't want them to try Abra which is the same and the closes competitor of Coins.ph, they are basically the same service and both of them if introduce to new people that are not into cryptocurrencies will just take the same time to learn the app/service itself. If you are looking for alternatives here for sending Bitcoin then this is the best thing you have as this is the only alternative for Coins.ph here in the Philippines. But if you still insists on not introducing Abra to your Filipino "normies" I guess your only choice left is a non-BTC transaction to send them money to like what I previously suggested.


And FYI you can send BTC to Philippine Peso in Abra because it has a Peso Wallet in-app. Here is also the full list of fiat currencies they have in-app for their international users.

Can someone send me Bitcoin if my wallet is not set to Bitcoin?

Yes, Abra will automatically convert Bitcoin to your current wallet's currency and apply the current exchange rate. For transfer between two BTC wallets, no conversion will be performed.

Please note, a sender will have to choose which currency wallet to send to.

That's good to know about Abra but yet but MK4 said it has a "slightly worse UI and less withdrawal methods" - would you say that is not the case?
With coins.ph I can just tell people to make an account there and send me the btc wallet they create there; they figure out themselves how to convert or use what I send. Would the same be possible with Abra? Imagine your average IQ illiterate peanuts vendor in Makati ave.

[ralle14]

That's good to know about Abra but yet but MK4 said it has a "slightly worse UI and less withdrawal methods" - would you say that is not the case?
With coins.ph I can just tell people to make an account there and send me the btc wallet they create there; they figure out themselves how to convert or use what I send. Would the same be possible with Abra? Imagine your average IQ illiterate peanuts vendor in Makati ave.

It's possible but I think it's much easier with coins.ph because of the accessibility you could use their service in both the browser or the app while with Abra you're only limited to their app. I agree abra is a good competitor against coins but imo they're still lacking at some parts when compared to coins like the limited withdrawal methods (only bank and remit) but overall their service is still quite good as they're less strict with KYC they could start receiving bitcoins after registration and cash out. Your friend could probably figure it out on their own as abra have faqs and articles about converting to php, cashing out, etc.