A global survey commissioned by BVNK and conducted by YouGov found that 39% of crypto users and prospective users across 15 countries receive income in stablecoins, while 27% use them for everyday payments. Respondents cited lower transaction fees and faster cross-border transfers as the primary reasons for adoption.
The online survey, conducted in September and October 2025 among 4,658 adults who either hold crypto or plan to acquire it, found that stablecoin users globally hold an average balance of about $200. In high-income economies, however, average holdings rise to roughly $1,000.
The findings also show strong appetite for integration with traditional financial providers. About 77% of respondents said they would open a stablecoin wallet with their main bank or fintech platform if available, while 71% expressed interest in using a linked debit card to spend stablecoins.
Those receiving income in stablecoins reported that the assets account for approximately 35% of their annual earnings. Meanwhile, users who rely on stablecoins for cross-border transfers said they save around 40% in fees compared with traditional remittance services.
More than half of crypto holders surveyed said they have made a purchase specifically because a merchant accepted stablecoins — a figure that rises to 60% in emerging markets. Additionally, 42% said they would like to use stablecoins for major or lifestyle purchases, compared with 28% who currently do so.
Ownership rates were higher in middle- and lower-income economies, where 60% of respondents reported holding stablecoins, compared with 45% in high-income countries. Africa recorded the highest ownership rate at 79%, alongside the strongest reported growth in holdings over the past year.
Users diversify across multiple stablecoins
A BVNK spokesperson told Cointelegraph that the research focused on usage trends among existing and prospective crypto users rather than broader population-wide adoption.
The spokesperson added that respondents typically hold a mix of dollar- and euro-pegged stablecoins rather than relying on a single issuer, indicating users often spread balances across multiple tokens.
When asked where they prefer to manage their stablecoins, 46% selected crypto exchanges. Payment apps with integrated crypto features — such as PayPal and Venmo — followed at 40%, while 39% chose mobile crypto wallet apps. Only 13% said they prefer hardware wallets.
Headquartered in London, BVNK was founded in 2021 as an enterprise-focused stablecoin payments infrastructure provider. In June, it partnered with Highnote, based in San Francisco, to enable stablecoin-based funding for embedded finance card programs.
Stablecoins enter regulated payroll systems
Regulatory clarity is also accelerating adoption. Following the passage of the GENIUS Act in the United States and the rollout of Europe’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, stablecoins are increasingly being incorporated into global payroll systems as companies expand digital asset settlement options.
On Feb. 11, global payroll platform Deel announced it would begin offering stablecoin salary payments through a partnership with MoonPay. The rollout will start next month with workers in the United Kingdom and European Union before expanding to the US.
Under the arrangement, employees can choose to receive part or all of their wages in stablecoins sent to non-custodial wallets. MoonPay will manage currency conversion and onchain settlement, while Deel continues to oversee payroll processing and compliance.
Enterprise activity in the sector is also accelerating. Paystand recently acquired Bitwage, a platform specializing in cross-border stablecoin payouts. Paystand said its B2B payments network has processed more than $20 billion in payment volume.
Because stablecoins are typically pegged 1:1 to fiat currencies such as the US dollar or euro, they offer relative price stability compared with more volatile cryptocurrencies, making them more suitable for everyday payments.
According to data from DefiLlama, the stablecoin market capitalization currently stands at $307.8 billion, up from $260.4 billion around the time the GENIUS Act was signed into law on July 19.
