Will stablecoins become the 'default option' for global payments?
—— The matter that Apple, Google, Airbnb, and Musk are discussing may change the way we use cryptocurrencies
🧭 Prelude: A 'payment revolution' is quietly approaching
Recently, it has been reported that Apple, Google, Airbnb, and Musk's X are in preliminary talks with several crypto companies to explore the possibility of integrating stablecoins into payment systems.
What seems like an ordinary industry chain message may actually be a prelude to a 'global payment landscape reshaping'.
🌍 1. Why stablecoins?
In terms of payment efficiency, stablecoins are like 'putting wheels on blockchain':
It is pegged to fiat currency prices, no longer experiencing wild fluctuations, lowering the psychological cost for users;
Transactions will be settled in almost seconds, without the need for intermediary clearing;
Even in areas traditionally inaccessible to banks, 'wallet-to-wallet' fund transfers can be completed.
Compared to traditional cross-border payments that take 3 to 5 days and incur fees as high as 3% to 8%, the advantages of stablecoins are almost overwhelming.
This is precisely why big platforms 'have to talk' about it.
🕹️ 2. Who will be the first to take the plunge?
✅ Musk's X
Among all platforms, X is the most likely to be the first to implement stablecoin payments. Musk himself has long embraced crypto technology, from DOGE payments to the xPay concept, X is already at the forefront of 'financial experimentation'.
✅ Airbnb
Airbnb's global network of hosts and guests has long complained about payment efficiency. If stablecoins could be used for direct settlements, it would not only save on fees but also bypass some countries' financial regulations—imagine receiving a South American traveler in a rural African village and instantly settling in USDC; wouldn't that be wonderful?
✅ Google and Apple
Google's pace is slightly slower, but Google Cloud has already collaborated with multiple blockchain projects and is technically capable;
Apple is relatively conservative, strongly controlling its payment ecosystem, and may focus more on observing pilot results in the short term.
🔁 3. What everyday changes will this bring?
1｜You won't 'use coins', but you are using coins
Imagine transferring money to a friend using the X App or paying for a reservation with Airbnb; the interface and process are the same as before, but what runs behind it is USDC on the blockchain. This is the first step towards 'seamless crypto'.
2｜Wallets will be completely 'hidden'
Professional terms like wallet addresses, gas fees, and chain names will be completely hidden. Users will no longer need to 'understand the chain'; the platform will manage everything for you, just like you don't need to know the settlement system behind WeChat.
3｜The roles of BTC and ETH will be reshaped
If stablecoins become 'payments', then mainstream coins like BTC and ETH will gradually transition from 'transaction mediums' to 'appreciating assets' or 'financial collateral', becoming closer to roles like gold, stocks, or mortgage assets.
🎯 Conclusion: This is a key leap for the crypto world towards the mainstream
Once stablecoins are widely integrated by tech giants, they will no longer be 'settlement tools within the crypto circle', but rather a new infrastructure for daily payments for hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
This also means that cryptocurrencies will no longer be just a speculative game but will start to truly enter the 'boundaries of life'.
We are standing at a historic moment:
Whoever lands first will grasp the entry point of the next generation financial system.