Stablecoins, which already process more transactions than Visa and Mastercard combined, bring a paradigmatic shift in how the world moves value.
A structural transformation is reshaping the global financial system. Stablecoins, digital tokens designed to maintain value stability, have emerged as the definitive bridge between the traditional financial universe and the digital economy.
With a market value exceeding US$ 263 billion in June 2025 and an annual transactional volume of over US$ 28 trillion, these assets already process more transactions than Visa and Mastercard combined, signaling a paradigmatic shift in how the world moves value.
The exponential growth of stablecoins reflects a latent demand for more efficient and accessible financial solutions. Between February 2024 and February 2025, the global supply grew by 63%, while the monthly transfer volume doubled, reaching over US$ 35 trillion during the period. This evidences a fundamental shift in preference for instant settlement systems and reduced costs.
Tether (USDT) maintains its dominant position with US$ 153 billion in circulation, followed by USDC (Circle) with US$ 60 billion, together controlling nearly 90% of the market.
What makes these numbers even more significant is the fact that these two companies hold more than US$ 204 billion in U.S. Treasury securities, an amount greater than the reserves of countries like Germany or the United Arab Emirates. This concentration of financial power in private instruments raises important questions about monetary sovereignty and systemic stability.
The legitimacy of stablecoins has gained definitive contours with the massive entry of traditional financial institutions. Data from Fireblocks reveal that 49% of global institutions already use stablecoins for payments, while another 41% are in pilot or active planning stages.
This statistic represents more than a trend; it documents an irreversible transformation in the global payment infrastructure.
The traditional banking sector has shown particular interest in stablecoins as a solution for cross-border payments. Research indicates that 58% of traditional banks use stablecoins specifically for cross-border payments, leveraging the capacity for instant settlement to regain market share lost to fintechs. This strategic shift reflects the recognition that stablecoins offer tangible competitive advantages in speed, cost, and global reach.
Major payment processors have also intensified their investments in the stablecoin ecosystem. Fiserv launched FIUSD, integrated into its network of 10,000 banks and 6 million establishments, with strategic partnerships including PayPal and Mastercard.
Worldpay, which processes US$ 2.3 trillion annually, enabled settlements in USDC for clients in over 180 countries. Stripe accelerated its integration after investing US$ 1.1 billion in the acquisition of Bridge, demonstrating long-term commitment to the technology.
Strategic differentiation between B2B and B2C segments
The implementation of stablecoins by Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) companies follows distinct operational logics, each optimized for the specific needs of their respective markets.
B2B companies have primarily used stablecoins to address historical inefficiencies in international payments, treasury management, and supplier settlement. The focus remains on operational efficiency, cost reduction, and automation of settlement processes in large volumes, especially in cross-border transactions.
The volume of B2B payments with stablecoins grew 30 times in two years, jumping from less than US$ 100 million at the beginning of 2023 to over US$ 3 billion monthly by 2025.
This growth reflects not only greater adoption but also the increasing maturity of infrastructure and institutional trust in the technology. Companies use stablecoins for payments to global suppliers, international payroll management, and treasury optimization among branches, leveraging the ability to move liquidity instantly.
The B2C segment, in turn, focuses on the end-user experience, using stablecoins to facilitate fast and cheap international remittances, payments to gig economy workers, international purchases, and financial inclusion.
While B2B seeks efficiency, scale, and automation, B2C prioritizes agility, accessibility, and reducing barriers for the end consumer. This differentiation demonstrates how technology is being applied strategically and personalized to meet the specific needs of each market segment.
Regulatory advances in 2025 established the necessary foundations for the institutional expansion of stablecoins. In the United States, the approval of the GENIUS Act by the Senate with bipartisan support of 68-30 votes created the first comprehensive federal framework for stablecoins.
Legislation requires full reserves in safe assets, regular audits for issuers with capitalization over US$ 50 billion, and establishes transparency standards that influence global regulations.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent projected that this regulatory clarity could expand the US dollar stablecoin market nearly eightfold, reaching US$ 2 trillion in the next decade. This projection is not speculative; it is based on historical experience of how clear regulatory milestones accelerate institutional adoption of new financial instruments.
In Europe, MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) came into effect in July 2025, imposing strict rules on reserves, auditing, and disclosure for stablecoins. The regulation forces the migration of non-compliant tokens to regulated alternatives, raising the bar for transparency and trust in the sector. This European standardization is becoming a global benchmark, influencing regulatory frameworks in other jurisdictions.
Brazil is advancing cautiously but determinedly, with the Central Bank preparing specific guidelines for stablecoins focused on security, transparency, and interoperability with the traditional financial system. This approach seeks to preserve innovation while protecting consumers and maintaining systemic stability.
Growth projections for the stablecoin market converge around significant expansion in the coming years.
Seaport Research Partners projects that the market cap could reach US$ 2 trillion by 2027, while the Citi Institute presents scenarios ranging from US$ 1.6 trillion (base case) to US$ 3.7 trillion (optimistic scenario) by 2030.
These projections are supported by three fundamental pillars: massive institutional adoption, integration with global payment networks, and exponential growth of use cases in cross-border payments, corporate treasury, and asset tokenization.
The Citi report highlights that stablecoins are evolving to become critical financial tools, particularly for cross-border payments, domestic remittances, and settlement of tokenized assets.
The ability to provide accessible and efficient access to traditional currencies like the dollar and euro for global users represents a fundamental value proposition that underpins these optimistic projections.
Operational data from Fireblocks reinforce these perspectives, showing that payment companies, despite representing only 11% of their clients, are responsible for 16% of stablecoin transactions, with volumes growing 30% quarter-over-quarter.
The massive entry of global banks, payment processors, and fintechs, combined with clearer regulatory milestones and strategic differentiation between B2B and B2C segments, consolidates stablecoins as essential infrastructure of the digital economy.
Growth projections for US$ 2-3.7 trillion by 2030 reflect not only speculative optimism but recognition of a structural demand for more efficient financial solutions.
For companies, investors, and regulators, understanding and adapting to this new reality is not optional. Stablecoins have already redefined how the world transacts value, and this transformation is just the beginning of an evolution that promises to be even deeper and broader in the coming years.
