GM! I recently found out that Cointelegraph got penalized by Google and so it practically vanished from the search results.
A news site is saying it was because of a Google Spam Update that targeted sites like Cointelegraph.
The crypto publication lost around 4 million in traffic as per SimilarWeb.
The good thing is that it appears CT still has a lot of direct traffic (and other means), which is a sign of great loyalty retention.
I visit Cointelegraph daily, so I wasn’t aware it got impacted by a Google update. In another lifetime so long ago, my job was to make sure my employer’s company would rank very high in Google results. Perhaps that’s the reason why I found the Cointelegraph <> Google situation interesting.
I think the clear message is really making sure you don’t rely on one source of traffic, especially if your business is information, and page views are the organization’s lifeblood.
In today’s weekly news recap, these are some of the biggest stories we covered:
🇵🇭 A new blockchain council??
🛰️ DOST and Hedera
🚫 Bybit halts registration in PH
But before we go there, check out this upcoming event!
Happening This Week: YGG Play Summit!
The global web3 gaming community converges in Manila this week for YGG Play Summit!
This year’s summit will feature themed districts for players, developers, and investors to explore games, attend workshops, and compete in esports tournaments.
The GAM3 Awards is also set to take place at the event. Chances are, if you are following a certain web3 content creator in this space, that creator is most likely here already in the Philippines for the awards night and the summit.
🇵🇭 New ‘Philippine Blockchain Infrastructure Council’ Launches, Eyes Gov’t Transparency
A new national council focused on building a “Philippine Blockchain Infrastructure Highway” was launched, aiming to create a unified framework for digital transparency in both government and private sector transactions.
Photo via OFW Party-List Facebook page
According to news reports:
The PBIC’s primary project is a “national engine of trust” designed to verify transactions and ensure data sovereignty.
As per its roadmap, the council is planning pilot integrations with government agencies, including the BIR, DPWH, and DepEd, by March 2026.
They emphasized that the platform is not intended to replace existing systems but to “verify and secure them.”
🛰️ DOST Taps Hedera Ecosystem Firm for Web3 Push
The Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has signed a strategic framework agreement with The Hashgraph Group (THG), a Swiss-based firm operating within the Hedera ecosystem.
Photo from the Press Release
The collaboration with THG is focused on a national-level rollout, with the DOST and the Swiss firm signing six separate agreements for the first six of 17 administrative regions, including the National Capital Region (NCR), Cordillera Administrative Region, and Davao.
The partnership will focus on:
Capacity Building: Providing nationwide Web3 training, certification, and innovation programs for students, entrepreneurs, and government staff.
Developing Use Cases: THG will provide engineering expertise to develop DLT solutions for sustainability (like a carbon bank), smart agriculture, water quality traceability, and tourism.
Venture Building: The agreement includes strategic investments in innovative Filipino startups via THG’s venture program.
🚫 Bybit Halts New User Registrations in the Philippines
Global cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has halted new user registrations originating from the Philippines, a development that follows a regulatory crackdown by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Prospective users attempting to create an account from the Philippines via the Bybit app are now met with an error message stating, “Your IP address is from one of Bybit’s restricted regions.”
Furthermore, the platform’s registration portal no longer accepts Philippine mobile numbers (+63) for new account creation, a restriction that remains even when the site is accessed via a VPN.
Check out the article here.
🇵🇭 Around the Philippines
Ronin announced that the Ronin Rally IRL Meetup will take place on November 20, 2025 at the Coins office.
The invite-only event will bring together builders, gamers, and creators ahead of the YGG Play Summit week.
Attendees will also get the chance to meet the Ronin team, Axie players, and other ecosystem participants, with exclusive merch drops planned during the meetup.
The Blockchain Campus Conference Luzon 2025 concluded on November 15 at Cavite State University’s Indang campus.
The Bureau of Immigration arrested three Chinese nationals in Santa Cruz, Manila for allegedly running a hotel-based cryptocurrency scam that targeted investors in Hong Kong.
All three failed to present valid immigration documents and were brought to the BI Warden Facility in Bicutan as deportation proceedings continue.
Coins.ph and Vietnam-based fintech FinFan signed a memorandum of understanding to streamline remittances and payment flows between the Philippines and Vietnam.
The partnership aims to make cross-border transfers faster, more affordable, and transparent by combining Coins.ph’s regulatory framework with FinFan Io’s payout network.
🏎️ Plenary Session 29: SBN 1506 CADENA Bill
During the Senate Plenary Session no. 29 on November 12, 2025, Senator Bam Aquino officially sponsored the CADENA Act.
The legislation aims to digitize government budget documents making them automated, verifiable, and accessible to the public, with criminal penalties for uploading false information.
Several senators including Tito Sotto, Jinggoy Estrada, JV Ejercito, Francis Tolentino, Raffy Tulfo, and Joel Villanueva have pledged support as co-sponsors to enhance transparency and public accountability.
📅 Event Calendar
Final words
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By Michael Mislos, Editor-in-Chief, BitPinas