Stablecoins have existed for years, but in 2025, their adoption skyrocketed. So much so that AI’s dominance as the key talking point in fintech was seriously challenged. But can stablecoins keep up their growing momentum in 2026, or will the hype start to fizzle out?
We have seen technologies have their year in the spotlight before – who can forget the metaverse and NFTs, for example – but the immediate, practical use cases of stablecoins are far more prominent.
From facilitating near-instant cross-border payments for both remittances and B2B businesses at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods, to shortening settlement cycles for asset managers, stablecoins are quickly proving their versatility.
So what does 2026 hold in store for stablecoins?
B2B and end-user opportunities
McKinsey reveals that in the past year, the number of B2B stablecoin payments has shot up by 733%, accounting for $226 billion (or around 60%) of global stablecoin payments volume. “The diversity of stablecoin use cases will continue to expand and with B2B payments now dominating stablecoin flows, corporates will unlock the next wave of crypto adoption,” says Monica Long, president of Ripple.
Long continues: “The opportunity isn’t just faster settlement — stablecoins are poised to free up Europe’s €1.3 trillion in trapped working capital, locked across payables, receivables, and inventory. This will help drive meaningful cash-flow efficiencies in the year ahead.”
Additionally, according to McKinsey’s research, only 0.02% ($390 billion) of stablecoins’ global payments volume is end-user payments. This figure could soon start to increase with greater adoption from established institutions.
When contactless payments were first introduced in the UK, they weren’t instantly adopted and widely used like we know them to be now. It wasn’t until Transport for London, a widely trusted government body, showed the public their true potential that usage sky rocketed. From an end-user payments perspective, stablecoins are still waiting for their equivalent to show the public how they can be used and the potential benefits.
Integration into established payment rails
Large incumbents in the space are already adjusting to capitalise on the rise of stablecoins. In December 2025, Visa announced that it was launching stablecoin settlements in the US using Circle’s USDC stablecoin.
At the time, Rubail Birwadker, global head of growth products and strategic partnerships at Visa, said: “By bringing USDC settlement to the US, Visa is delivering a reliable, bank‑ready capability that improves treasury efficiency while maintaining the security, compliance, and resiliency standards our network requires.”
And Visa is not alone. Stripe has also integrated USDC into its payment infrastructure, enabling merchants to accept cross-border payments. With these globally recognised brands showcasing stablecoin support, merchants looking to find a competitive edge will see this as a green light to explore stablecoins’ potential.
Explaining this, Scott Frisby, head of strategy for Europe at Elavon, an embedded payments platform and a subsidiary of US Bank, says: “The path to mainstream acceptance will likely start when major multi-purpose wallets will enable stablecoin storage alongside traditional payment methods. This integration will provide the crucial signal to merchants that stablecoins are approaching viability.”
From there a new domino effect is likely to emerge. The more merchants look to integrate stablecoins into their offerings, the asset class will gain more visibility, with more customers given the option to use the alternative payment method.
The importance of regulation
Regulation is a huge factor when it comes to stablecoins’ mainstream adoption.
Stablecoins can act as a lifeline for individuals looking to send remittances and businesses looking to tap new markets. In places like Singapore, facilitating stablecoin adoption is well and truly underway.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) passed its stablecoin regulatory framework in 2023, with full implementation expected to be completed later this year. The framework builds on MAS’ 2019 Payments Services Act which treats stablecoins as digital payment tokens and enables financial institutions compliant with MAS to issue stablecoins.
While the increasing emergence of regulation shows a growing acceptance of stablecoins, a lack of global standardisation poses a challenge.
Jan Lebbe, digital assets lead at ING, says: “The biggest hurdles for stablecoins may include a lack of a uniform regulatory framework and sufficient regulatory clarity for market participants seeking to issue and distribute stablecoins.
“In addition, banks and crypto-asset service providers may struggle to comply with global standards for stablecoin transactions, such as the Travel Rule, across differing regulatory regimes.”
Mathieu Altwegg, head of product and solutions at Visa Europe, is hopeful that this year will bring increased regulatory clarity in the space. He says: “2026 is shaping up to be a year of opportunity. Regulatory clarity will deliver the foundations for responsible innovation, and financial institutions are beginning to tokenise assets at scale. The task now is alignment – ensuring regulators, innovators, and banks work to common standards and validate use cases where stablecoins bring the most value.
“If that happens, stablecoins can become a trusted component of Europe’s digital economy, powering faster, more secure, resilient and programmable money movement,” Altwegg concludes.
GENIUS Act impact
90% of fiat-backed stablecoins are pegged to the US dollar, according to TRM. As a result, arguably one of the biggest catalysts for stablecoins’ adoption in 2025 was the passing of the GENIUS Act in the US.
The GENIUS Act establishes the first federal framework for stablecoins. Under the new law, stablecoins are no longer considered federal ‘securities’ or ‘commodities’, and as a result, are exempt from regulation from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Instead, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has regulatory oversight.
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent claims that as a result of the GENIUS Act, the stablecoin market “could grow tenfold” from its current value of $300 billion. Bessent is not alone in his optimism.
For Luther Liang, SVP and head of product at Grasshopper Bank: “The trend with the most staying power in 2026 is the institutionalisation of digital assets via the GENIUS Act.
“With a clear federal framework for payment stablecoins expected by mid-2026, the integration of 24/7 blockchain-based settlement rails into commercial banking will become permanent infrastructure, being a strong competitor with the potential to displace legacy rails for cross-border corporate payments.”
What’s next?
2025 was a key year for stablecoins’ adoption. B2B, B2C, and P2P metrics all shot up and put stablecoins on the map.
2026 will be a year of ensuring stablecoins stay there. This will only be achieved if established financial institutions and new start-ups continue to push for greater regulatory acceptance. Simultaneously, they must also find a way to continue building trust for businesses and individuals by integrating stablecoins into their existing payment rails.
