Stablecoins have evolved from a niche tool for crypto trading into a powerful and strategic component of the global financial system, offering businesses and finance professionals new ways to handle money. This transformation is driven by their ability to combine the stability of traditional currencies with the efficiency and programmability of blockchain technology.
Market Growth and Projections
The stablecoin market has seen explosive growth, with its total market capitalization reaching approximately $280 billion in September 2025, a significant increase from around $200 billion at the start of the same year. This growth is projected to continue at a remarkable pace. Citi has revised its 2030 forecast, projecting a market size of $1.9 trillion in a base case and potentially reaching $4.0 trillion in a bull case scenario. This expansion is expected to be fueled by three key areas: the reallocation of cash and bank deposits, the substitution of international short-term liquidity, and the ongoing growth of the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem.
Transaction volumes are also surging. In 2024, stablecoins had an annual transaction volume of $18.4 trillion, which is more than double the volume from 2023. This rapid growth in transaction volume surpasses traditional payment giants like Visa and Mastercard, whose annual transfer volumes are growing at a much slower pace.
Key Use Cases for Businesses and Financial Professionals
Stablecoins are revolutionizing several areas of finance, with tangible benefits for corporate treasurers and other professionals.
- Cross-Border Payments and Treasury Management: One of the most compelling use cases is the ability to facilitate near-instant, 24/7 cross-border payments, bypassing the slow and costly traditional correspondent banking networks like SWIFT. For a multinational corporation, a process that might typically take 5-10 days can be completed in just a few hours. This speeds up treasury transfers, reduces “money in transit,” and improves cash flow forecasting. For example, sending a $200 remittance from the US to Colombia via stablecoins can cost less than $0.01 and settle almost immediately, compared to a cost of over $12 and several days with traditional methods.
- Liquidity Management: Treasurers can use stablecoins as a digital form of cash that is immediately available for use. This real-time liquidity management minimizes the need for pre-funding accounts and offers greater flexibility in responding to market conditions. It also enables more efficient supply-chain financing and just-in-time working capital.
- Real-World Asset (RWA) Tokenization: Stablecoins are becoming the settlement layer for tokenized assets like bonds, real estate, and private credit. This allows for atomic settlement, where the asset and payment are exchanged simultaneously, removing the delays and risks associated with traditional off-chain transactions.
- Financial Inclusion: Stablecoins offer a stable and accessible alternative to local, volatile currencies in underbanked regions. In countries like Argentina and Türkiye, where inflation is a persistent problem, citizens are increasingly turning to dollar-pegged stablecoins to protect their savings and make everyday transactions. Nigeria, for instance, leads the world in stablecoin adoption, with about 9.3% of its population using them.
Regulatory Developments and Future Outlook
The global regulatory landscape is catching up with this innovation. The U.S. has made a significant move with the passage of the GENIUS Act, which provides a federal framework for stablecoins, mandates a 1:1 backing in high-quality liquid assets, and clarifies that non-bank issued stablecoins are not securities. This aims to boost institutional adoption and reinforce the dollar’s global role. Similarly, the European Union’s MiCA framework and licensing regimes in key hubs like Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UAE are creating a clearer, more consistent environment for digital assets.
However, challenges remain. Issues like regulatory uncertainty, fragmentation across different blockchain networks, and the need to balance privacy with compliance for anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) laws must be addressed for wider adoption. Despite these hurdles, the momentum is clear: stablecoins are not a fad but a foundational technology that is reshaping global financial operations and creating new opportunities for efficiency, transparency, and strategic growth.
Useful Resources
- Citi GPS Stablecoins 2030 Report: https://www.citigroup.com/global/insights/stablecoins-2030
- The Evolution and Impact of Stablecoins in Global Markets – Capgemini: https://www.capgemini.com/us-en/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/08/Evolution-and-Impact-of-Stablecoins-in-Global-Markets-POV.pdf
- The 2024 Global Crypto Adoption Index – Chainalysis: https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2024-global-crypto-adoption-index/
- IMF Finance and Development September 2025 Issue: https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2025/09/fandd
