Embryonic axis formation is essential for patterning and morphogenesis in vertebrates and is tightly regulated by the dorsal organizer. Previously, we demonstrated that maternally derived Huluwa (Hwa) acts as a dorsal determinant, dictating axis formation by activating β-catenin signaling in zebrafish and Xenopus. However, the mechanism of activation and fine regulation of the Hwa receptor remain unclear. In a systematic mutation screen, a mutation at the 168th serine (Ser168) in the PPNSP motif of Hwa dramatically abolished its axis-inducing activity. Mechanistically, mutating the Ser168 residue reduced its binding affinity to Tankyrase 1/2 and the degradation of the Axin protein, weakening β-catenin signaling activation. Furthermore, the Ser168 site was confirmed to be phosphorylated via LC-MS/MS and immunoblotting with a phosphorylation-specific antibody. Additionally, several kinases, including Cdk16, Cdk2, and GSK3β, were found to enhance Ser168 phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo, enhancing Hwa's activity in β-catenin signaling and axis induction. Meanwhile, the use of dominant-negative Cdk16 and pHwa (Ser168) antibodies reduced Hwa's function. In summary, Ser168 acts as a phosphorylation switch in Hwa/β-catenin signaling for embryonic axis induction, involving multiple kinases to ensure developmental robustness.