2025.07.18
Stablecoins Might Become the Core Infrastructure of Corporate Treasury: Trends, Regulation, and Strategic Competition
Stablecoins, as blockchain-based digital assets pegged to fiat currencies, are rapidly emerging as a critical component of the global financial system. Leading stablecoins such as USDT and USDC have experienced explosive growth over the past few years. By 2024, the total on-chain transaction volume of stablecoins reached $27.6 trillion, surpassing the combined transaction volume of Visa and Mastercard for the same period.
With unique technical advantages and financial properties, stablecoins are becoming a bridge between traditional finance and the digital asset world. In the near future, regulated stablecoins—especially those denominated in US dollars like USDC and USDT, as well as upcoming national-compliant stablecoins—are expected to bring profound structural changes to corporate treasury management, cross-border payment networks, monetary systems, regulatory frameworks, and global economic competition.
This article begins with a review of the current regulatory landscape of stablecoins across major jurisdictions, such as the U.S. GENIUS Act, Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Ordinance, and the EU’s MiCA framework. We will then conduct a deep dive into the technical foundations and financial credit structures of stablecoins. From the perspectives of corporate asset allocation, geopolitics, monetary sovereignty, and cross-border financial infrastructure, we explore the evolving regulatory trends and competitive dynamics.
We will also examine how the borderless nature of stablecoins challenges existing regimes of monetary control, taxation, and financial compliance. Furthermore, we assess how stablecoins may evolve into a core layer of financial infrastructure, transforming settlement, liquidity management, reconciliation, and auditing processes within enterprises.
Finally, by referencing the strategic moves of industry giants such as Circle, Tether, PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard, we project how corporate structures and business models may reshape around stablecoin adoption, and discuss the likely scenarios of cooperation and confrontation that may emerge between corporations and governments in the coming decade.
The emergence of stablecoins stems from the growing demand for value-stable digital currencies. Traditional cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are highly volatile, making them unsuitable for daily pricing or payment purposes. Stablecoins address this limitation by pegging their value to fiat currencies or other assets, providing a reliable value benchmark in the digital economy.
Most stablecoins are pegged to the US dollar or other fiat currencies. Issuers hold equivalent reserves on a 1:1 basis, typically in bank deposits or short-term government bonds. This mechanism essentially transforms bank deposits or electronic money in traditional finance into programmable digital tokens on the blockchain, enabling transparent and verifiable digital cash equivalents.
From a technical perspective, stablecoins are usually issued on public blockchains such as Ethereum or Tron. They leverage distributed ledger technology (DLT) to enable 24/7 real-time settlement and peer-to-peer transfers. Unlike traditional bank transfers—which require multiple intermediaries and are limited by banking hours—stablecoin transactions can be confirmed within minutes and are generally irreversible, significantly improving both the speed and finality of settlement.
At the same time, due to the open and interoperable nature of blockchain networks, stablecoins are inherently globally accessible and programmable. They can be embedded into smart contracts, supporting automated fund flows and enabling innovative financial applications. In essence, stablecoins inject “Internet-level speed” into value transfer, combining the credit stability of fiat currency with the efficiency and transparency of blockchain technology.
Fiat-backed stablecoins, such as USDC and PYUSD, typically adopt a fully reserved or overcollateralized model. This means that each unit of stablecoin issued is backed by an equivalent amount of bank deposits or short-term government bonds. Structurally, this model closely resembles Narrow Banking, as it removes the function of credit creation and avoids the inherent risks of fractional reserve banking, such as liquidity mismatches and leverage-induced bank runs.
In this respect, stablecoins introduce a non-credit-expanding digital medium of payment into the financial system. Theoretically, they offer stronger redemption stability and liquidity assurance. Compared to the typical balance sheets of commercial banks—which often involve maturity mismatches and credit risks—stablecoins are more akin to money market funds, emphasizing high liquidity and transparency.
However, stablecoins are not inherently less risky than banks; rather, they involve a different risk structure, including:
Technical risks: Smart contract vulnerabilities, private key management, system security
Reserve risks: Sufficiency and timeliness of reserves, audit transparency, potential asset freezes or regulatory seizures
Regulatory risks: Policy changes in different jurisdictions affecting the legality and cross-border use of stablecoins
Essentially, stablecoins represent a digital credit instrument backed by full reserves and mediated through technological infrastructure. They reduce financial leverage and liquidity mismatch risks but create a new risk model centered on technological governance and operational transparency. The risk is not simply higher or lower than that of banks—it is orthogonal in structure, operating on a fundamentally different dimension.
For example, Hong Kong's Stablecoin Ordinance mandates that stablecoin reserves must consist of low-risk, highly liquid assets, sufficient to cover all circulating stablecoins at a 1:1 ratio, and subject to regular disclosure and independent audits. With such reserve backing, stablecoins function more like money market funds or electronic money, representing a credit claim against the issuer. However, stablecoin holders do not enjoy deposit insurance protections; their exposure lies primarily in the operational integrity and reserve transparency of the issuing institution. Past concerns around Tether's reserve disclosure have prompted increasing regulatory scrutiny over redemption capability and reserve quality.
In essence, stablecoins redefine the model of currency issuance and circulation:
Issuance is provided by private sector entities under commercial models, offering blockchain-based dollar equivalents;
Circulation is enabled by decentralized, trustless blockchain networks, achieving borderless value transfer.
Stablecoins differ fundamentally from central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), which are issued directly by sovereign entities, and from traditional bank deposits, which are governed by fractional reserve banking systems. They are best understood as programmable digital cash natively embedded within the modern Internet, simultaneously delivering technological innovation while maintaining a value anchor rooted in sovereign fiat currency.
It is precisely this combination of technology and credit infrastructure that grants stablecoins their dual characteristic: they have the potential to disrupt existing payment and settlement systems, yet remain dependent on the traditional financial ecosystem for reserve anchoring.
As stablecoins rapidly expand in scale and influence, regulatory bodies across the world are introducing frameworks to bring them into a regulated and compliant ecosystem. The overarching trend is to establish clear licensing systems, capital and reserve requirements, and transparency obligations, aiming to safeguard financial stability and consumer protection while also seizing opportunities in digital financial innovation.
However, different jurisdictions adopt varied approaches and regulatory nuances, depending on their financial strategies and national monetary interests. This creates a landscape of competitive regulatory dynamics, where countries are not only racing to prevent systemic risks but also competing to attract digital financial business and influence future global monetary flows.
As the primary issuer and largest market for USD-pegged stablecoins, the United States is accelerating federal-level legislation on stablecoins. In June 2025, the U.S. Senate passed the Guiding and Ensuring National Issuance of Uniform Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act) by a vote of 68 to 30. Commonly referred to as the "Genius Act," this bill represents the first comprehensive federal regulatory framework specifically targeting stablecoins.The GENIUS Act establishes a dual-licensing regime that allows both banks and qualified non-bank institutions to issue payment stablecoins, subject to strict requirements:
1:1 full reserves backed by high-quality, highly liquid assets
Mandatory third-party audits
Consumer protection measures
Compliance with AML (Anti-Money Laundering) and sanctions regulations
This framework will shift USD stablecoin issuance from an unregulated gray area to a fully licensed activity, aligned with either federal or equivalent state standards.
Legislators see this move as a way to strengthen the U.S.’s leadership in digital financial infrastructure, while ensuring that stablecoin innovation does not pose systemic risks to the financial system. Notably, U.S. policymakers view stablecoins as a strategic extension of dollar dominance, believing that well-regulated USD stablecoins can help maintain the dollar's central role in the global financial system.
That said, debates persist—particularly over federal versus state jurisdiction, and the treatment of algorithmic stablecoins. Although the bill faced hurdles in the House of Representatives, the overarching regulatory stance remains clear: the U.S. aims to balance strong oversight with innovation, bringing stablecoins into the regulated financial mainstream.
The European Union took an early lead by passing the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) in 2023, with phased implementation through 2024–2025. MiCA provides detailed requirements for stablecoins, distinguishing between:
Electronic Money Tokens (EMT)
Asset-Referenced Tokens (ART)
Under MiCA, stablecoin issuers must obtain licenses and comply with strict reserve requirements, including holding at least 30% of reserves in cash within EU-based bank accounts, along with investor protection measures.
The most controversial provision is a quantitative cap on non-euro stablecoin usage. MiCA stipulates that any non-euro stablecoin (such as USD stablecoins) cannot be used for more than 1 million transactions or €200 million in daily payment volume within the eurozone. If this threshold is exceeded, issuers must halt new issuance and take steps to reduce circulation.
This quasi-quota system aims to defend the euro’s legal tender status and prevent widespread use of foreign-denominated stablecoins for daily payments in Europe. EU regulators have openly stated that the measure is designed to protect euro monetary sovereignty, preferring the use of euro-backed stablecoins over USD-backed options like USDT for everyday transactions.
The crypto industry has criticized these limits as too restrictive, arguing that the daily cap is disconnected from current market realities and could stifle innovation and weaken the EU’s competitiveness. Nevertheless, MiCA’s clarity has been welcomed by compliance-oriented businesses. Exchanges such as Bitstamp and Binance have proactively delisted non-compliant stablecoins to align with the new regulations.
In summary, the EU has chosen a conservative approach: legitimizing stablecoins under strict conditions while capping their usage to safeguard euro primacy. In the short term, this may slow stablecoin adoption in Europe. However, if the EU cannot offer viable digital euro alternatives or regulated euro stablecoins to meet market demand, these restrictive policies may face pressure for revision over the longer term.
Hong Kong has proactively positioned itself as a hub for crypto finance, especially in stablecoin regulation. In May 2025, the Hong Kong Legislative Council passed the Stablecoin Ordinance, set to take effect on August 1, 2025.
Under the new ordinance, any entity issuing fiat-referenced stablecoins in Hong Kong, or any offshore issuer pegging to the Hong Kong dollar, must obtain a license from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA). Unlicensed entities are prohibited from offering stablecoin issuance or related services in Hong Kong, and cannot market such services to local residents.
Key regulatory requirements include:
Mandatory establishment of a local entity in Hong Kong
Minimum paid-in capital of HKD 25 million
100% reserve backing with high-quality liquid assets
Guaranteed 1:1 redemption rights without excessive fees
Prohibition of interest payments on stablecoin holdings
Robust risk management and disclosure obligations
Notably, algorithmic stablecoins are explicitly prohibited, reflecting regulators’ intent to prevent financial engineering risks and ensure that stablecoins serve payment functions rather than speculative instruments.Hong Kong leverages its “One Country, Two Systems” framework to pioneer in areas not yet fully open on the mainland. Major institutions like Standard Chartered and LianLian Pay have already joined HKMA’s sandbox program to test stablecoin solutions.
For example, JD.com, a leading Chinese e-commerce giant, established a Hong Kong subsidiary in 2024 to develop a HKD-pegged stablecoin backed by audited, high-quality liquid reserves held at licensed institutions. Similarly, Ant Group plans to apply for a license after the ordinance takes effect and is considering expansion into Singapore and Luxembourg.
As the Hong Kong stablecoin framework takes shape, more enterprises—both domestic and international—are expected to use Hong Kong as a base for compliant stablecoin issuance, potentially prompting neighboring regions like Singapore and Japan to accelerate their own regulatory responses. This sets the stage for regional competition and collaboration in stablecoin governance.
Beyond the major regions mentioned, many countries are developing their own stablecoin regulatory frameworks:
Singapore issued a consultation paper in 2023, proposing guidelines for value stabilization mechanisms, reserve custody, and capital requirements, aiming to balance competitiveness with risk control.
Japan has allowed trust banks to issue yen-pegged stablecoins and is refining relevant legislation.
The United Kingdom is incorporating stablecoins into its broader Digital Settlement Assets (DSA) regime, granting them legal status for payments.
Over the next three years, most major economies are expected to implement comprehensive stablecoin regulations, marking a “Global Stablecoin Regulatory Era.”
While there is a degree of regulatory convergence—such as common requirements for full reserves, liquidity safeguards, and anti-money laundering compliance—there are also jurisdictional competitions, especially over currency sovereignty and attracting fintech innovation.
At the international level, bodies like the G20 and the Financial Stability Board (FSB) have issued high-level guidelines emphasizing the “same business, same risks, same rules” principle to mitigate regulatory arbitrage and prevent systemic loopholes in cross-border stablecoin activities.
In this context, a globally standardized yet jurisdictionally fragmented stablecoin ecosystem is gradually taking shape. Its future trajectory will largely depend on policy decisions and strategic competition among nation-states.
One of the defining characteristics of stablecoins is their borderless, network-native existence. This directly challenges the traditional sovereign control over currency issuance, capital regulation, and tax collection. Over the next decade, as stablecoin adoption continues to expand, the pressure on national monetary systems will intensify, prompting governments to adjust their frameworks and policies.
In the traditional sovereign state system, central banks hold a monopoly on national currency issuance and control money supply through the commercial banking system. However, globally accessible USD-pegged stablecoins can be acquired and transacted over the internet from virtually anywhere, fundamentally weakening the geographic boundaries of monetary control.
For economically unstable or high-inflation countries, stablecoins offer a convenient store of value and transaction medium. Individuals and businesses can convert local currency into USD stablecoins to hedge against depreciation or for cross-border transactions, effectively bypassing capital controls. This trend of "digital dollarization" has already taken root in certain emerging markets such as Latin America and the Middle East.
According to a Fireblocks report, 71% of crypto and financial service firms in Latin America view stablecoins as their primary tool for cross-border payments, making the region one of the world's most active in stablecoin usage. In some countries, stablecoins are even becoming part of everyday transactions.
This dynamic poses a direct challenge to national monetary sovereignty. As citizens shift towards using privately issued stablecoins, central banks may lose control over domestic money supply and the traditional channels of monetary policy transmission may weaken. Moreover, governments may find it harder to impose inflationary taxes or debt monetization, as capital can easily escape into stablecoins.
This is similar to historical "dollarization" phenomena, but the lower adoption barrier and stealthier penetration of stablecoins could make the impact faster and more pervasive.
The borderless transferability of stablecoins makes cross-border capital regulation increasingly difficult. Stablecoin transactions do not rely on traditional banking rails, making it harder for regulators to monitor and control fund flows in real time—unlike the oversight possible with SWIFT messages.
In capital-controlled economies, individuals and businesses can use stablecoins to move funds offshore without official approval. Some countries are already responding to this risk by restricting crypto exchange operations or banning banks from facilitating stablecoin purchases. For instance, reports indicate that Brazil’s central bank at one point considered prohibiting banks from allowing customers to convert Brazilian real into stablecoins and transfer them to self-custody wallets, due to concerns over capital flight.
This is likely to intensify the regulatory tug-of-war over cross-border capital movement. Governments may tighten oversight on fiat-to-stablecoin conversion points, impose strict KYC/AML requirements, or even ban specific stablecoins to block unofficial fund channels. Meanwhile, capital may flow to more lenient jurisdictions, creating pressure on tightly regulated countries.
The regulatory arbitrage versus enforcement tightening dynamic will become a defining feature of global capital flows in the stablecoin era.
In the traditional financial system, large fund transfers typically go through banks, making them easier for governments to monitor for taxation and illicit activity. However, stablecoin transfers are peer-to-peer and often involve non-custodial wallets with varying degrees of anonymity, increasing the potential for tax evasion and regulatory circumvention.
When individuals and enterprises use stablecoins directly for cross-border payments, reporting obligations become difficult to enforce. Moreover, stablecoins introduce additional risks related to money laundering and terrorism financing.
While blockchain transactions are transparent and traceable, bad actors often employ multi-hop transfers and intermediary wallets (so-called "jump wallets") to obfuscate fund flows and create audit challenges.Once funds leave the traditional banking system and enter self-custodial, cross-border stablecoin channels, traditional enforcement tools become less effective. This forces regulators to develop new technologies, such as partnering with blockchain analytics firms to monitor on-chain transactions, and expanding international cooperation for data sharing.
On the positive side, blockchain's transparency also provides new forensic capabilities. In 2025, the U.S. government, in collaboration with stablecoin issuers and blockchain analytics companies, successfully seized over $200 million in illicit stablecoin funds. Major regulated issuers like Circle and Tether have worked with law enforcement to freeze assets linked to blacklisted addresses, demonstrating a model of public-private collaboration.
This suggests that although stablecoins are borderless, technical compliance tools and industry self-regulation can extend regulatory reach, creating a new form of conditional borderlessness.
Stablecoins also raise concerns at the geopolitical level, particularly regarding monetary policy, sovereign debt issuance, and global soft power competition.
Whichever nation's currency becomes the dominant reserve for global stablecoins effectively amplifies that country’s monetary influence. Today, over 90% of stablecoins are pegged to the U.S. dollar, reinforcing the dollar's role as the global reserve and settlement currency.
This has prompted other major economies, such as the EU and China, to respond with caution. The EU has enacted strict usage limits on non-euro stablecoins to prevent digital dollarization from undermining euro sovereignty. Meanwhile, China is accelerating the rollout of its central bank digital currency (CBDC) and has banned the domestic use of privately issued stablecoins.
Looking forward, a "digital currency cold war" is not out of the question. Major economies may leverage both policy tools and technological means to compete for dominance in the global digital value transfer network.In this context, stablecoins can serve as strategic instruments:
For the U.S., regulated USD stablecoin expansion strengthens existing monetary dominance.
For other nations, stablecoins may be seen as threats requiring containment, such as the EU's restrictions on non-euro stablecoin circulation.
Thus, stablecoins are not merely a financial innovation issue, but a critical component of national strategy and international competition.
The borderless nature of stablecoins presents an unprecedented challenge to the current global system of monetary sovereignty. Countries will respond based on their strategic interests—some will embrace regulation to gain first-mover advantages, while others will adopt defensive stances to preserve control.
A key part of this response will be the development of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). By issuing official digital currencies, governments aim to satisfy market demand for digital payments while reducing reliance on private stablecoins.
Over the next decade, we are likely to see a three-way interaction between stablecoins, CBDCs, and traditional finance. In open economies, stablecoins and CBDCs may coexist and complement each other. In more fragile systems, stablecoins could become a force for financial transformation—or provoke more aggressive sovereign defense.
In any case, the competition and collaboration over currencies will expand into the digital realm, fundamentally redefining the concept of monetary sovereignty in the stablecoin era.
As stablecoins gradually integrate into mainstream finance, corporate treasury management is poised for a structural shift. In the near future, stablecoins may become a core component of corporate cash equivalents, with their high liquidity, cross-border capabilities, and programmability driving profound changes in fund management, settlement, and financial operations.
The most immediate incentive for corporate finance departments is the ability of stablecoins to facilitate real-time cross-border payments. Traditional methods, such as bank wire transfers, typically require 2–3 business days for settlement and involve substantial fees. With stablecoins, companies can transfer funds between global subsidiaries or pay overseas suppliers in a matter of minutes, at a cost of just a few dollars in network fees.
For example, JD.com’s Chairman Liu Qiangdong has stated that the company’s blockchain-based payment network can reduce international transfer time from 2–4 days to under 10 seconds, with transaction costs cut by 90%.
While some scenarios are still in pilot phases, it is clear that large multinational enterprises are eager to enhance payment efficiency. Once regulatory frameworks mature, corporations will likely adopt stablecoins for global treasury operations, enabling 24/7 just-in-time liquidity management, significantly improving capital utilization and reducing operational costs.
Moreover, real-time settlement reduces counterparty risk—goods can be paid for instantly upon delivery, eliminating the need for prepayment or letters of credit. This could fundamentally transform supply chain finance, making corporate treasury more precise and efficient.
Stablecoins also provide new tools for multi-currency position management. Traditionally, multinational corporations maintain various bank accounts in different currencies, facing foreign exchange controls and conversion losses when consolidating or reallocating funds.
With stablecoins, companies can convert part of their foreign exchange reserves into digital dollar stablecoins or other currency-pegged tokens, freely reallocating liquidity on a global scale. Firms can hold multiple types of stablecoins (e.g., USDC, EURC) and dynamically switch between them based on market conditions or treasury needs, forming a stablecoin cash pool.
Surveys show that companies value the flexibility of stablecoins in managing currency exposure and gaining liquidity in emerging markets. In markets where reliable dollar banking channels are scarce, stablecoins enable enterprises to access immediate liquidity through over-the-counter (OTC) conversions into USDT, simplifying capital movement.
Of course, large-scale use of multi-currency stablecoins requires robust foreign exchange risk management, but due to globally linked on-chain markets and high liquidity, currency swaps can be executed efficiently on-chain, giving enterprises greater control over FX exposures.
If stablecoins become widely accepted, corporate accounts receivable and payable processes will evolve. Enterprises may begin collecting payments from overseas customers or paying suppliers directly in stablecoins, accelerating cash flow and reducing transaction fees.
Some pioneers are already adopting this model. For instance, SpaceX allows customers in underbanked regions to pay for Starlink services in local currency, instantly converting it into stablecoins to mitigate FX risks and settlement delays. As more partners adopt stablecoins, it is likely that trade settlements will increasingly include this option.
Another growing use case is payroll and contractor payments, especially for cross-border teams. As more freelancers and outsourcing providers work globally, paying in stablecoins eliminates high fees and delays associated with international bank transfers.
Some AI companies have already adopted stablecoin payments for international contractors, allowing workers to receive payments in USD-equivalent tokens instantly, avoiding local currency devaluation risks. This practice is expected to reshape the global B2B service economy and the gig economy payment landscape.
Widespread use of stablecoins will raise new challenges in corporate accounting and auditing.
Accounting Treatment: Regulated fiat-backed stablecoins are typically classified as cash equivalents, given their pegged value and immediate redeemability. However, companies must assess the issuer’s credit risk, disclose the types of stablecoins held, the issuing entities, and potential associated risks in financial statements.
Reconciliation and Record-Keeping: Blockchain records are transparent yet voluminous, and involve pseudonymous addresses. Enterprises will need to integrate blockchain explorers or third-party services with their internal ERP systems to automate reconciliation, likely requiring IT infrastructure upgrades but leading to improved accuracy and real-time financial reporting.
On-Chain Auditing: Auditors will require access to corporate blockchain wallets to verify balances and transactions. Compared to traditional audits, blockchain-based audits offer easier traceability, but also demand new technical competencies from auditors.
Programmable Financial Flows: The programmable nature of stablecoins enables automation of routine transactions. For example, accounts receivable could be configured to auto-transfer stablecoins via smart contracts upon maturity, reducing manual reconciliation errors.
Looking ahead, accounting standards bodies and the audit industry are expected to develop guidelines for stablecoin-related financial reporting, potentially including fair value assessments, impairment testing, and enhanced disclosure requirements to ensure accurate corporate financial statements.
Corporate treasury teams must establish comprehensive risk management frameworks for stablecoin usage.
Credit Risk: If a stablecoin issuer faces insolvency or reserve depletion, the corporate stablecoin holdings could be impaired. Companies should select reputable, regulated issuers (e.g., those with audited reserves like USDC), diversify holdings, and establish clear redemption agreements.
Compliance Risk: Stablecoin usage must align with foreign exchange regulations and tax reporting requirements. Some jurisdictions may treat stablecoin exchanges as foreign exchange transactions, subject to declaration. Treasury teams must work closely with legal and compliance departments to develop KYC/AML-compliant protocols.
Operational Risk: Managing private keys introduces new operational risks. Enterprises should implement strict controls, including institutional custody solutions or multi-signature wallets, to mitigate the risk of key loss or hacking.
Stablecoins have the potential to push corporate treasury management into a real-time, global, and automated paradigm. Much like the electronic banking revolution of past decades, stablecoins are poised to become an everyday tool for treasury teams.
According to recent surveys, 90% of global financial institutions are already using or actively exploring stablecoins for cross-border transactions. It is likely that in the near future, corporate balance sheets will routinely list stablecoin holdings, and financial professionals will need hybrid skills in traditional finance and digital assets.
For early adopters, embracing stablecoin-based treasury management could unlock efficiency gains and provide a competitive advantage in the global marketplace. Of course, this transformation hinges on regulatory acceptance and market readiness.
Given the current trajectory, regulated stablecoins becoming integrated into corporate finance workflows is not just possible—it is increasingly probable. This shift will bring both opportunities and challenges, fundamentally reshaping the operational models of enterprise finance.
The rise of stablecoins is redefining cross-border payment infrastructure, paving the way for a new global value transfer system. In the coming years, a competitive and collaborative dynamic will emerge between traditional banking networks, international card organizations, and new crypto-native payment channels.This transformation is expected to make cross-border payments faster, more cost-efficient, and more accessible. At the same time, all participants in the payment ecosystem will need to reposition their roles, adapting to a landscape where stablecoin settlement coexists with, and in some cases replaces, traditional financial rails.
For decades, the SWIFT network has been the backbone of cross-border wire transfers. However, its slow processing times, high fees, and lack of transparency have drawn widespread criticism. Stablecoins now offer a parallel settlement path, allowing value—such as USD equivalents—to be sent directly to overseas recipients without intermediary correspondent banks.
In the short term, stablecoins are unlikely to fully replace SWIFT, especially since fiat currency redemption still requires banking infrastructure. However, the pressure from stablecoins has forced traditional networks to accelerate innovation. For example, SWIFT has begun testing blockchain-based messaging for cross-border settlements, exploring potential interoperability with CBDCs and stablecoin networks.
Some banks are responding by developing their own stablecoins or digital settlement systems. JPMorgan’s JPM Coin is already used for internal cross-border clearing. These initiatives reflect a clear reality: traditional finance does not intend to surrender cross-border payments easily, but instead seeks to adopt new technologies to preserve its competitive position.
In the future, banks may continue to provide front-end services—such as fiat exchange, compliance checks, and KYC/AML procedures—while leveraging stablecoin networks for back-end settlement, significantly improving transaction efficiency.
In this model, stablecoins become the technical engine for T+0 settlement, while banks ensure that final settlement flows into regulated custody accounts. This creates a win-win cooperation between banks and stablecoin issuers: banks retain client relationships and custody roles, while stablecoin networks handle the transfer layer.
Some banks have already started down this path. For instance, Standard Chartered has participated in Hong Kong’s stablecoin sandbox, planning to launch a Hong Kong dollar-pegged stablecoin payment solution. It is likely that more banks will take on the role of “stablecoin network nodes”, and some may even form banking consortiums to issue compliant stablecoins, competing directly with tech companies.
International card networks like Visa and Mastercard play a dominant role in cross-border payments, and they are actively embracing the stablecoin revolution. As early as 2021, Visa tested USDC settlements on Ethereum, clearing transactions with partner banks directly on-chain. In recent years, this pilot has expanded into production: Visa now uses blockchain to send USDC to settlement bank accounts, streamlining merchant payouts.
This essentially positions stablecoins as a "bridge currency" for backend clearing, seamlessly integrating with Visa’s existing payment network.
Mastercard is also moving aggressively. It has launched stablecoin wallet payment pilots and partnered with firms like Paxos to help banks offer stablecoin-related services.
In 2023, Mastercard tested cross-border transfers using tokenized deposits and stablecoins within its network, enhancing both speed and traceability. The card networks’ advantage lies in their massive merchant acceptance footprint and mature payment infrastructure.
If regulatory approval continues to evolve, Visa and Mastercard may eventually allow consumers to pay directly with stablecoins at the point of sale, instantly converting currencies on the backend and settling with merchants. This would significantly expand stablecoin use in both online and offline retail, allowing the card giants to maintain their role as payment gateways even in a blockchain-based economy.
As analysts have pointed out, stablecoins today are still primarily used for crypto trading and investment, but the next frontier is consumer payments—an area where the card networks are positioning themselves for growth.
Of course, challenges remain, such as FX volatility, merchant pricing, and regulatory compliance, but technically, these hurdles are surmountable—Visa has already demonstrated successful USDC integration into existing systems.
Beyond banks and card networks, a new class of crypto-native fintech companies is building next-generation cross-border payment networks based on stablecoins.
Some crypto exchanges and payment platforms now offer enterprise cross-border payment services, using stablecoins as the underlying value transfer medium between countries. Funds are then converted back into local fiat at the endpoint, enabling near-instant remittances.
According to Fireblocks, Latin America has seen high adoption rates of stablecoin-based cross-border payments, with 71% of regional crypto or fintech firms citing stablecoins as their primary cross-border payment solution. Local fintechs have played a crucial role in driving this growth.
Another example is PayPal, which has launched its own USD stablecoin, PYUSD. PayPal aims to leverage its ecosystem of over 400 million users, positioning PYUSD for peer-to-peer transfers and merchant payments within its closed loop system. While PYUSD is currently confined to PayPal’s platform, future expansions could include broader interoperability with other wallets.
Some B2B payment platforms—such as Circle’s cross-border API services—also enable companies to use stablecoins for payroll, supplier payments, and international settlements, offering all-in-one solutions.
These emerging networks share common traits: higher disintermediation, lower costs, and faster settlement. The typical cross-border transfer fee for stablecoins is less than one-tenth of traditional remittance costs, and settlement time is reduced from days to minutes.
This poses a disruptive threat to legacy remittance providers like Western Union and MoneyGram, whose business models rely on collecting high fees from international transfers.
In response, traditional remittance companies are being forced to cut costs, improve speed, or partner with blockchain platforms. For example, MoneyGram has already partnered with the Stellar blockchain to offer USDC-based remittance services.
Ultimately, this competition will drive down the cost of cross-border payments, increase efficiency, and benefit global consumers and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).
As multiple players enter the field, a new challenge emerges: how to achieve interoperability across different networks. In the future, there may coexist:
Bank-issued stablecoins
Tech company-issued stablecoins
Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)
If each operates in isolation, the risk of payment network fragmentation increases, undermining seamless global trade.
An important trend will be the development of technical standards and interoperability protocols. This could involve new global standards or expanded versions of existing ISO formats to include stablecoin transaction metadata, enabling smooth integration between systems.
Advances in cross-chain technology may also allow free exchange of stablecoins across different blockchains, breaking down single-chain limitations.
Financial institutions may establish clearinghouses for stablecoin exchange, or use smart contract liquidity pools to swap between various stablecoins. Visa and Mastercard could act as cross-stablecoin settlement hubs, leveraging their trusted, global infrastructure.
Some envision a future “Internet of Value” protocol, analogous to how TCP/IP unified data networks, connecting banks, blockchains, and payment providers into a universal settlement fabric. In this model, stablecoins serve as digitally packaged money, transferring from party to party without users needing to know who issued the underlying token.
While this vision may seem idealistic, technological progress and market incentives are clearly moving in this direction. Over time, the boundaries between traditional finance and crypto finance will blur, merging into a next-generation global payment and clearing network.
The rapid rise of stablecoins has triggered a wave of strategic moves by global giants, reshaping the competitive landscape of the digital asset industry. The market is heading toward a phase of consolidation and cross-sector integration:
Incumbents strengthen their positions,
New entrants seek differentiated niches,
Traditional financial giants are entering the space, rewriting the competitive rules.
Below, we examine how key players are positioning themselves in this evolving ecosystem.
As a pioneer of regulated stablecoins, Circle has steadily aligned itself with mainstream financial institutions. In June 2025, Circle became the first stablecoin issuer to go public, listing on the New York Stock Exchange—a milestone that signaled capital market endorsement of the stablecoin business model.Leveraging its IPO proceeds, Circle is expanding globally:
Licensing initiatives: Collaborating with regulators across the U.S., Europe, and Singapore to ensure USDC remains the gold standard of compliant stablecoins.
Multi-currency expansion: Launching additional fiat-backed stablecoins, such as the euro-pegged EURC, to build a multi-currency product suite for global enterprises.
Ecosystem partnerships: Integrating with Visa and other payment networks for stablecoin-based settlement, and partnering with major crypto exchanges and wallets to enhance USDC's liquidity and utility.
Looking ahead, Circle is evolving into a regulated financial infrastructure provider, potentially even seeking a banking license. Its business model is expanding from token issuance to include payment clearing, enterprise APIs, identity and compliance services, creating a robust moat.
If the U.S. finalizes comprehensive stablecoin legislation, Circle is well-positioned to be among the first non-bank issuers to receive a federal license, further strengthening its compliance advantage and likely attracting a surge of institutional adoption.
Despite frequent controversy, Tether maintains its position as the world’s largest stablecoin issuer by volume. USDT is particularly dominant in Asia and emerging markets, with circulation at one point exceeding $80 billion.Tether faces both opportunities and challenges:
Regulatory pressure and transparency demands may force Tether to improve its compliance standards. For example, failure to meet MiCA's transparency requirements could limit USDT's usage in the EU.
Conversely, in jurisdictions with looser regulatory oversight, USDT remains in high demand, allowing Tether to maintain and expand its foothold in underbanked markets.
Tether is also diversifying its offerings, including:
CNHT (offshore RMB-pegged stablecoin)
XAUT (gold-backed token)
Investments in Bitcoin mining and infrastructure, positioning itself as a crypto industry holding company.
If regulated stablecoins like USDC gain traction in the institutional market, Tether may pivot further toward retail and emerging market users, positioning USDT as the “people’s dollar”—a critical liquidity option for the unbanked and those facing capital controls.Tether’s continued dominance will depend on:
Maintaining 1:1 redemption confidence
Managing regulatory risks and competitive pressures
If Tether adopts greater transparency and obtains licenses in key jurisdictions, it could remain one of the two dominant players alongside Circle. However, any major reserves-related scandal could lead to a rapid market shift toward regulated alternatives.
In summary, as the market-driven stablecoin incumbent, how Tether adapts to the compliance wave will profoundly influence the sector's future structure.
In 2023, PayPal officially entered the stablecoin market by launching PYUSD, signaling the entry of traditional payment companies into crypto payments. With hundreds of millions of active users and merchants, PayPal has a unique advantage:
PYUSD is initially used for P2P transfers and merchant payments within PayPal's closed ecosystem.
In the long term, PayPal may position PYUSD as a universal settlement token for global remittances and currency exchange, enabling seamless wallet-to-wallet conversions within its app.
Other tech and financial giants are also eyeing the space:
Visa and Mastercard have chosen not to issue their own stablecoins but are integrating third-party stablecoins into their networks for settlement.
JD.com plans to apply for stablecoin licenses in multiple regions, starting with a Hong Kong dollar-pegged stablecoin. JD’s Chairman, Liu Qiangdong, has envisioned a future where JD’s 600 million users can shop directly with digital currencies—a groundbreaking retail application that could accelerate mainstream adoption.
Ant Group (the parent company of Alipay) has also announced stablecoin plans in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Luxembourg, aiming to enhance its cross-border payment capabilities.
Given their massive user bases, tech giants could rapidly scale stablecoin usage by embedding them into super apps or e-commerce platforms, creating network effects that are difficult for competitors to challenge.
Traditional banks and financial infrastructure providers are also entering the fray. In Hong Kong, Singapore, and other regulator-friendly environments, banks like Standard Chartered and HSBC are piloting stablecoin issuance and usage.
In the U.S., JPMorgan has launched JPM Coin for interbank clearing, while Wells Fargo and others are exploring blockchain-based settlement networks. If U.S. regulations permit non-bank stablecoin licenses, large commercial banks could eventually issue public-facing stablecoins, directly competing with tech companies.
This would be a game-changer, as banks have both reserve management capabilities and customer trust. However, banks’ cautious pace gives fintech startups room to innovate and capture niche markets.Many startups are focusing on verticalized stablecoin use cases, such as:
Supply chain cross-border payments
Stablecoins for gaming and digital content economies
These agile players may become critical service providers in specialized markets, eventually partnering with or being acquired by larger players. The market could evolve into a dual-structure ecosystem:
Giants provide mainstream stablecoin infrastructure
Specialized fintechs offer targeted applications and integration layers
According to industry projections (from Circle, Fireblocks, and Crypto.com), the global stablecoin supply reached approximately $250 billion in 2023. By 2030, it could surpass $1 trillion, although this growth will depend heavily on regulatory clarity and policy progression, with significant uncertainties remaining.Such a massive market will naturally lead to intense competition and consolidation. We may see:
Dominant stablecoins (like USDC and USDT) strengthening their positions
Smaller stablecoins gradually exiting the market or being absorbed unless they offer unique value
Higher regulatory thresholds weeding out non-compliant issuers (e.g., NYDFS shutting down BUSD, forcing Binance’s stablecoin to exit)
The future could resemble today’s payment landscape:
A few global stablecoins (USD, EUR, RMB-based) dominating international flows
Local stablecoins serving regional or niche markets
Interoperable markets where stablecoins compete freely with dynamic exchange rates
Issuers could include both private companies and public entities. In some cases, CBDCs issued in partnership with banks or telecoms may operate similarly to stablecoins.If regulatory frameworks are robust, the stablecoin sector may move toward “quasi-banking” models, where major issuers face:
Capital adequacy requirements
Risk reserves
Potential inclusion in central bank liquidity support mechanisms
This would make the system safer but also raise the barriers to entry, cementing the dominance of large players.
The stablecoin industry is transitioning from a frontier market to a regulated financial infrastructure layer. Tech giants, financial institutions, and crypto-native companies are all converging on this battlefield, much like the competition during the rise of mobile payments.
From a user perspective, this competition promises higher quality, safer stablecoin products, and broader adoption channels. For the industry itself, it signals continuous transformation and consolidation.
In the next decade, we may see only a handful of trusted global stablecoin brands survive, but these brands will likely become as critical to global commerce as today’s card networks and clearinghouses, serving as the backbone of value transfer in the digital economy.
The expansion of stablecoins is not only transforming commercial finance but is also redefining the interaction between corporations and nation-states. As privately issued digital currencies with public interest implications, stablecoins are forcing a new dialogue between the public and private sectors, navigating between cooperation and competition.
In the coming years, we are likely to witness unprecedented scenarios where corporations play a proactive role in the monetary domain, while governments balance the need for innovation against concerns of losing control. The relationship between enterprises and states will become increasingly complex and nuanced.
Many governments have realized that the public sector alone cannot meet the growing demand for digital currencies quickly enough. Rather than suppressing private innovation, regulators are moving toward integrating corporate participation into regulated stablecoin ecosystems.
The U.S. exemplifies this approach through legislation like the GENIUS Act, which legitimizes compliant stablecoins and allows them to be issued by banks or qualified non-bank institutions. In this model, stablecoin issuers act as extensions of the monetary system, providing new forms of digital dollar services beyond the scope of central banks and commercial banks.
The public sector focuses on rule-making and oversight, while enterprises handle technical operations and innovation. U.S. Federal Reserve officials have even suggested that a retail-facing digital dollar could be deployed via a public-private partnership, where the central bank issues wholesale digital money, and private institutions manage the front-end wallets and customer interfaces.
Effectively, stablecoin issuers may evolve into “franchise operators” of digital money, extending sovereign currencies into new technological domains.
A similar cooperative model is emerging in the European Union under MiCA, where private euro stablecoin issuers are applying for licenses to complement the yet-to-be-launched digital euro, addressing market demand without undermining regulatory control.
In Hong Kong, regulators have established sandbox environments that invite banks and tech firms to pilot stablecoin applications, generating real-world experience to inform future legislation.
These examples show that in many scenarios, corporations and governments are not inherently adversaries in the stablecoin space. Rather, they can collaborate, with companies contributing technology, operational efficiency, and market penetration, while governments provide legal frameworks, oversight, and systemic safety nets.This win-win approach could lead to:
Better payment options for the public
Macro-level financial stability for governments
New revenue streams and markets for corporations
However, cooperation is not guaranteed in all cases. When corporate-led stablecoin initiatives threaten core national interests or cross regulatory red lines, confrontation becomes inevitable.
The failed launch of Facebook's Libra (later renamed Diem) is a prime example. Libra proposed a basket-backed global stablecoin managed by a consortium of multinational corporations, which would have effectively created a “supranational digital currency.”
In 2019, this triggered a fierce global backlash:
The U.S. Congress held multiple hearings over concerns that Libra threatened the dollar's hegemony.
European officials pledged to block Libra at any cost, citing risks to financial sovereignty.
Under this regulatory pressure, Facebook was forced to abandon the project. The Libra episode underscores a critical point: When private stablecoins attempt to supersede sovereign currencies, governments will unite to defend their monetary control.Similar forms of confrontation may arise in new contexts. For example, if a tech giant's stablecoin achieves large-scale circulation within a country, undermining the effectiveness of monetary policy, the central bank might respond by:
Banning local merchants from accepting the stablecoin
Blocking related internet services
This would set the stage for a clash between corporate monetary networks and national regulatory authority.
Another potential friction point involves data control and compliance. Stablecoin transactions involve highly sensitive financial data, including transaction flows and personal privacy.
If stablecoin issuers refuse to cooperate with national regulators by providing data or freezing accounts, governments may resort to legal action or technological blockades. While regulated issuers like Circle and Tether have cooperated with sanctions enforcement by blacklisting addresses, situations involving non-compliant entities or offshore operators could pose serious enforcement challenges, potentially leading to:
Network-level blocking
Economic sanctions
Stablecoins also open new fronts in tax sovereignty conflicts. Large multinational corporations could use stablecoins and crypto rails for global internal settlements, shifting profits between jurisdictions and potentially avoiding high-tax regimes.
This will likely push governments to:
Demand greater cross-border tax transparency
Pressure enterprises to limit the use of opaque crypto payment channels
When stablecoins grant corporations too much "monetary power" or erode national interests, government countermeasures are typically swift and aggressive.
The rise of stablecoins is evolving the traditional government-corporate relationship into more complex dynamics.
Large tech and financial companies may become quasi-monetary authorities, especially as their stablecoins achieve widespread adoption.
Their roles could resemble historical private banks that issued banknotes, impacting public trust and financial stability.
Governments may respond by:
Deploying regulatory supervisors within major stablecoin issuers
Mandating participation in national payment clearing networks
Providing central bank liquidity backstops in the event of a redemption crisis—effectively treating major stablecoin issuers as systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs).
Meanwhile, SMEs and individuals gain unprecedented global reach, transacting directly across borders outside of local banking systems, challenging state control over domestic financial flows.
Looking ahead, governments may need to engage in more international cooperation:
Building real-time information-sharing systems to track stablecoin transactions for tax purposes—similar to today’s cross-border bank account tax reporting frameworks.
A new and noteworthy phenomenon is the partial role reversal between governments and corporations.
In some cases, enterprises may gain significant influence over national monetary systems.
For example, small economies might adopt corporate-issued stablecoins as de facto legal tender, similar to dollarization, because a widely accepted stablecoin like USDC could be more practical than launching a domestic CBDC.
This could place corporate issuers in a position to influence national monetary policy, making sovereign economic decisions contingent on corporate actions.
Conversely, governments may nationalize or take over critical stablecoin businesses during crises, akin to bank bailouts during the 2008 financial crisis. If a stablecoin becomes systemically important and faces collapse, a "Stablecoin TARP" could emerge, with central banks stepping in to prevent a confidence meltdown.
On the international stage, stablecoins will foster both new alliances and new conflicts between states.
Major economies may coordinate cross-border stablecoin regulations, enhancing controls on illicit capital flows—this represents cooperation.
Simultaneously, competition over digital currency dominance will intensify, as countries vie for influence in the global financial system—this is geopolitical rivalry.
Stablecoins could become tools for:
More efficient international aid and trade settlement
Sanctions evasion and counter-sanction mechanisms, where some nations promote their own stablecoin ecosystems to bypass foreign restrictions
Corporations may find themselves caught in the middle, forced to navigate between opposing regulatory environments and choosing strategic alignments carefully.
In summary, stablecoins add a new dimension to the global economic gameboard, introducing corporate actors as powerful stakeholders in monetary policy and financial infrastructure.
Those who can balance innovation with control, and cooperation with autonomy, will have the upper hand in this evolving landscape.
Based on the above analysis, stablecoins are poised to evolve from a niche player in the crypto industry to a cornerstone of global financial infrastructure. They are fundamentally reshaping the way value is transferred—combining technological efficiency with monetary stability—and are set to exert structural impacts on corporate treasury, cross-border payments, monetary systems, and regulatory frameworks.
On the technological and market front, stablecoins will drive:
Real-time, global settlement layers
More agile and efficient corporate cash management
Lower costs for individual remittances and commercial transactions
By 2030, it is plausible that a significant portion of global trade settlements will be conducted via stablecoins. By 2035, stablecoins may rival commercial banks and card networks as a mainstream channel for value transfer. Even as underlying technologies evolve—such as second-layer networks and cross-chain interoperability—the concept of programmable digital money will become entrenched in financial infrastructure.
On the regulatory side, the coming decade will involve a phase of harmonization and refinement. Most countries are likely to establish comprehensive legal frameworks for stablecoins, pushing major issuers toward licensed, bank-like compliance standards, with full transparency and risk management.As stablecoins become mainstream, regulators may shift from cautious observation to active integration of stablecoins into monetary policy and financial stability mechanisms. For example:
Central banks may monitor stablecoin circulation data as liquidity indicators
Stablecoins could become part of macroprudential assessments
International regulatory cooperation will intensify to reduce gaps between jurisdictions and prevent regulatory arbitrage.The relationship between CBDCs and stablecoins will also become clearer:
CBDCs may focus on sovereign-backed public goods,
Private stablecoins may cover user experience, programmability, and financial innovation layers,
In some cases, stablecoins may handle specific sectors, complementing central bank offerings.
Ultimately, a new balance between private innovation and public interest will emerge, requiring adaptive regulatory frameworks to keep pace with technological progress.
At the international level, stablecoins are becoming a new focal point in global monetary competition:
The digital dollar, via USD stablecoins, is expanding its reach, reinforcing U.S. monetary dominance.
Europe responds with regulatory frameworks and the digital euro, aiming to safeguard its currency sovereignty.
China is promoting the digital yuan domestically, while supporting enterprise-led stablecoin experiments in Hong Kong and other pilot zones.
Other nations are seeking optimal trade-offs between financial innovation and sovereignty, carefully weighing the benefits of seamless trade against the risks of losing monetary control.
Stablecoins may simultaneously facilitate global financial inclusion and collaboration—for example, streamlining foreign aid and global remittances—while also exacerbating new conflicts, such as digital currency sanctions wars or capital outflow crises.
In the foreseeable future, USD-denominated compliant stablecoins will likely maintain dominance, further solidifying the dollar’s soft power in the digital age. Unless other economies introduce equally convenient and trusted alternatives, digital dollarization seems irreversible.
This dynamic will compel other countries to accelerate financial innovation, pushing for a more diversified global currency system to prevent monopolization.
From a broader societal perspective, stablecoins have the potential to unlock new levels of financial inclusion and reshape commercial relationships. For over 1 billion unbanked individuals globally, a smartphone and a stablecoin wallet could serve as a low-cost, accessible financial solution—a problem traditional banking has struggled to solve.
Stablecoin networks can increase economic participation, create new business models, and open avenues for micro-commerce and global peer-to-peer trade.
At the same time, as technology transforms money itself, the rules of engagement between enterprises, states, and individuals must evolve. Trust mechanisms are shifting—from bank intermediation to technology protocols and smart contracts—making financial systems more transparent and participatory.
Despite inherent risks and transitional pains, if stakeholders co-design smart regulatory frameworks, balancing innovation and security, stablecoins can become a pillar of the new global financial order, ushering in an era of frictionless value transfer and interconnected commerce.
In short, the impact of stablecoins is multi-layered and multidimensional. From technological architecture to financial structures, from corporate operations to national governance, no sector will remain untouched.Stablecoins can act as both disruptors and enhancers of the existing system. Their ultimate role will depend on how societies choose to guide and integrate them.
At this pivotal moment, we are witnessing the early stages of a profound transformation. With cautious optimism, we can anticipate that stablecoins will increasingly become part of the global economic bloodstream, delivering efficiency gains, cost reductions, and expanded access—reshaping commerce and society for the digital era.