From the success of our very own Bitcoin Pizza Day celebration to a game launch of Filipino-led Yield Guild Games

Today, we curated some of the news from crypto and blockchain organizations in the Philippines from last week, May 19 to 25, 2025.

From the resounding success of BitPinas and GCrypto's Bitcoin Pizza Day celebration to the launch of Yield Guild Games' casual game LOL Land, here are some of the crypto news in the Philippines.

Today, we highlight some of the activities and announcements made by crypto and blockchain organizations in the Philippines for the past week, May 19 to 25.

Event Success: BitPinas x GCrypto’s BTC Pizza Day Meetup

Over 200 crypto enthusiasts converged at Bonifacio Global City on Wednesday, May 22, 2025, for the highly anticipated Bitcoin Pizza Day 2025 celebration, jointly organized by BitPinas and GCrypto.

The event marked the 15th anniversary of the first real-world Bitcoin transaction, which saw a programmer named Lasseter buy two pizzas from a local pizzeria in New Haven, Connecticut, using 10,000 BTC, which at the time amounted to $41.

The event was filled with festive cheer, featuring free pizza, networking opportunities, and the "Satoshi Quest," an interactive activity across Satlayer, GCrypto, and BitPinas booths where participants could engage in Bitcoin trivia, wallet showcases, and community discussions.

Those who completed the quest had a chance to win prizes, while a dedicated photo booth encouraged social media posts throughout the day.

The program also included talks by PDAX Senior Manager for Brand and Partnerships Harry Santos and other key figures in the local blockchain scene, highlighting developments in Bitcoin, decentralized finance, and crypto adoption in the Philippines.

Stablecoin-issuer Tether, represented by liquidity partner Mansa, sponsored a 22 $USDT giveaway for 22 attendees, and hardware wallet provider Cryptobilis distributed a free wallet.

Nominations Open for Philippine Block Awards 2025

The Blockchain Council of the Philippines has officially opened nominations for the 2025 Blockchain Champion Awards.

The awards aim to recognize individuals, organizations, and communities who have made outstanding contributions to advancing the blockchain and web3 ecosystem in the Philippines.

The ceremony will take place on June 11 during Philippine Blockchain Week, which spans June 10 to 11, at the New World Manila Bay Hotel.

Nominations are open until May 21, 2025, and can be submitted through a public form on the Blockchain Council's website.

The categories for the awards highlight regional leadership, innovation, community building, customer experience, youth advocacy, and overall leadership in the blockchain space.

PNP Cracks Down on Unlicensed Crypto Operation in Pangasinan

The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG), in cooperation with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), executed search and seizure warrants on Thursday, May 17, 2025, against a suspected unlicensed cryptocurrency investment and remittance center in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.

The operation follows a report from the SEC regarding the firm's unauthorized financial activities.

Authorities seized computer data and documents that are believed to be linked to a large-scale crypto investment scheme which is allegedly operating without the necessary regulatory approval.

The raid comes just days after five individuals were arrested in a separate operation on Monday, May 13, for running a similar unregistered crypto investment scheme in the province.

According to PNP-ACG, the arrested suspects had been offering a minimum investment of ₱30,000 with promises of a 10% monthly return.

Cebu Scam Hub Utilizing Crypto, AI Exposed

A Cebu-based scam hub disguised as a crypto investment call center has been exposed by an ethical hacker known as "mrwn."

The hacker managed to gain full access to the group’s CCTV, email logs, and agent desktops, showcasing the large-scale operation in his viral YouTube video.

The scammers used fake AI-powered trading bots, such as Solis Markets and BTC Boutique, to promise high $BTC returns, luring international victims to invest in crypto.

The video reveals the operation's manipulative tactics and fake dashboards showing over 12 billion in annual revenue and 198 million in yearly profit for the group's internal use. However, no real crypto trading took place.

Following the exposé, the Philippine Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and the Department of Information and Communications Technology launched an investigation and called on ethical hackers to collaborate against such scams.

Despite arriving at the physical site to find it empty, authorities are pursuing leads, examining leftover computers, and issuing a show cause order to the company.

The hacker's findings helped identify several suspects, and officials urged former employees to cooperate or face legal consequences.

Hiraya Network Hosts Apt-Date

Filipino Aptos community Hiraya Network hosted its first-ever “Apt-Date” on Thursday, May 23, kicking off with a strong turnout and discussions at the Moxy Hotel in Pasig City.

The event brought together members of