How Filipino guilds are powering Web3 growth
On the AIBC Stage at SiGMA Asia 2025, community took centre stage as leading voices from the Philippines explored how gaming guilds are becoming pivotal growth engines in the Web3 ecosystem. The panel Gaming Guilds as Growth Engines: Community Building Lessons from the Philippines unpacked how culture, trust and purpose, not just tech, are driving real adoption across the region.
Moderated by BitPinas Editor-in-Chief Michael Mislos, the conversation featured core members of YGG Pilipinas, a guild at the forefront of this movement. Spraky YGG, Jenna Ilao and Brylle Uytiepo brought rich insight into how Filipino-led communities are educating, earning and reshaping digital economies from the ground up.
Together, they shared stories of how local identity fuels engagement, how education initiatives like Metaversity are turning players into crypto-literate users and how strong social bonds are enabling guilds to scale in ways traditional growth marketing can’t touch.
From gamers to builders with Web3
Spraky YGG’s journey began during the pandemic, when he left his job at a local water facility in search of something new. “I was just looking for an opportunity to learn,” he shared. That led him to NFT games and eventually to YGG. “I live my work and never looked back,” he said, now managing a million-strong community across platforms.
Jenna Ilao, co-lead of YGG’s Metaversity, echoed a similar shift. “I was figuring out where I fit in the future of games,” she said. Today, her work helps bridge the gap between education and opportunity. “Web3 isn’t just for games, there’s a whole world of skills and pathways waiting.”
Brylle Uytiepo, Growth Lead and co-founder of YGGeller, began his own journey by creating a Facebook group in 2021 that quickly scaled. He emphasised the evolution of guilds, “We’ve come a long way since play-to-earn. Education has now become more relevant than ever.”
Education and the power of belonging
Much of the discussion focused on what makes guilds fundamentally different from traditional online communities. According to Brylle, it’s the trust. “Guilds are more humane and interactive. Members tend to stay because we all crave a sense of belonging.” Spraky agreed, “After joining, I felt like I was truly part of something, I wanted to grow with them.”
That sense of belonging translates into action. Today’s guilds aren’t just about playing games, they’re about onboarding, education and community resilience. “We promote education over earning tokens,” said Spraky. “We win together by actually growing together.”
Jenna described Metaversity as “a space where people can self-learn without pressure.” The goal is to empower, not instruct. “We’re not forming a crowd, we’re forming a community.”
Builders over consumers
As Web3 evolves, so do the guilds. “We’re planting seeds for a digital harvest that we all share,” Brylle said. From teaching blockchain fundamentals to launching AI-focused learning tracks, the emphasis now is on turning community members into contributors.
“The value of a guild lies in what we give back,” said Spraky. Whether through content, mentorship or partnerships, YGG ensures each member is seen, heard and supported. “Our lens is always what is the value added to our community?”
The session revealed that for Web3 to scale meaningfully, it must first connect deeply. Filipino guilds are proving that sustainable growth is about building communities with purpose. From grassroots education to platform partnerships, their model offers a fresh, human-centred roadmap for the future of decentralised tech.
Keep following SiGMA Asia for continued live updates, exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes insights.
