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Stablecoins processed $9 trillion in settlement volume over the last year, while Visa’s card payments totaled $7.7 trillion during the same period, according to News/stablecoins-are-quietly-becoming-the-internets-money/” rel=”nofollow noopener”>Crypto.news and a report by XYZ Financial Services.
Crypto.news analysts confirm stablecoins now settle more value annually than Visa. So what changed? Average daily settlement hits $25 billion, above the $21 billion managed by card networks.
Stablecoins now out-settle Visa
Stablecoins moved $9 trillion on-chain during the last calendar year, surpassing Visa’s $7.7 trillion card payment total.
Stablecoins, once a niche tool, now move daily value on par with large global banks. Asia, Latin America, and Africa show rising interest in domestic stablecoins.
From speculation rails to “real money”
Stablecoins first gained prominence as “speculation rails,” giving traders 24/7 dollar-based settlement, as reported by Cryptonews. Volume tracked crypto cycles—surging in bull markets, dropping in slumps. By late 2025, though, non-exchange wallet balances recorded a 55% rise year-over-year.
Reliable dollar value and instant payment make them ideal for online business and commerce. Transfers on networks like Solana settle in seconds and cost less than card payments, which often take days and involve 1%–3% in fees.
By Q1 2026, over 40% of stablecoin use involved “utility” activity—ranging from payroll to cross-border B2B settlement, according to published research. Asia and Latin America led on adoption, as stablecoins provided an inflation hedge and a safe alternative to weak local currencies.
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The applications span international payments, dollar-denominated savings for unstable economies, and on-chain web3 settlement. Data from crypto.news shows stablecoins cut transfer costs to below $1 per $1,000—far beating traditional remittance channels.
Monthly stablecoin inflows to Nigeria doubled by March 2026 over the previous year—from $210 million to over $420 million, per market data. Western Union once ruled a $700 billion market for cross-border money, but blockchain dollars are catching up fast.
— Stablecoin Insider (@stablecoininfo) March 30, 2026
The biggest story in crypto is not about crypto
In Argentina and Nigeria, USDT and USDC replaced volatile local currencies as stores of value. In hyperinflationary economies, savers once stuffed cash under mattresses. Stablecoins now let people hold digital dollars that move freely—used for daily retail payments and savings in significant cities. In Argentina, USDT supports parallel markets and sidesteps economic instability.
What “internet money” actually has to do
Crypto.news identifies liquidity and easy redemption as the foundation for stablecoin growth. In May 2026, both Tether (USDT) and USDC posted tens of billions in daily liquidity, letting users cash out or spend with minimal delay. The user base leapt to 72 million unique wallets by April 2026—up from 45 million a year earlier.
📄 @base weekly recap
— Base Hub 🛡️ (@BaseHubHB) April 3, 2026
what happened on @base this week
NEWS
■ @base 2026 mission vision and strategy full document now live focusing on global markets and scaling stablecoins
■ @base welcome home video from based house at ETH denver now live
STATS
■ @trylimitless… https://t.co/l1C0sWRYaK pic.twitter.com/XftxgHu5Hb
The two stablecoins that run the world
Tether (USDT) and USDC account for more than 93% of stablecoin market share and collectively had $141 billion in circulation as of May 2026, according to crypto.news. USDT—at $102 billion supply—keeps dominant in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. USDC, issued by Circle, holds $39 billion and is preferred in the US, Europe, and web3 commerce.
Monthly blockchain disclosures highlight that USDT on Tron and Ethereum sees over $700 billion in turnover, more than twice that of USDC. Analytics from published sources place USDT and USDC among the top four digital assets globally by unique holders, behind only Bitcoin and Ethereum. While regional stablecoins tied to euros, pesos, or yen are slowly growing, they remain minor players compared to USDT and USDC.
| Stablecoin | Issuer | Circulating Supply (May 2026) | Main Regions of Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tether (USDT) | Tether Ltd. | $102 Billion | Asia, Latin America, Africa |
| USD Coin (USDC) | Circle | $39 Billion | U.S., Europe, Web3 platforms |
What the GENIUS Act actually changed
The GENIUS Act—signed in the US in 2025—fundamentally rewrote stablecoin regulation, according to crypto.news. Issuers must now deliver monthly reserve attestations, and regulators can audit their operations directly. Platforms transacting over $1 billion daily face strict KYC mandates.
Circle and Tether responded by publishing frequent audits and tightening compliance after the law passed. By reducing legal ambiguity, the GENIUS Act fast-tracked adoption by banks, fintechs, and online platforms.
US-regulated stablecoins now control about 70% of global volume.
How big has this actually gotten? The numbers
USDT or USDC are used for well over half of all wallet-based remittance in developing nations, according to institutional and market data. Over 50% of total DeFi settlement also uses stablecoins, pushing aside more volatile crypto tokens. New issuance now averages $12 billion each month, showing relentless global appetite for digital dollars. Stablecoins now operate across fourteen major blockchains led by Solana, Tron, and Ethereum.
Over 4 million new unique wallets launched monthly in early 2026, according to recent reporting. Peer-to-peer payments in stablecoins climbed 40% from last year, confirming use is no longer limited to traders or early adopters.
Where is the volume actually going? The geographic and use case data
China and Singapore drove the largest volumes in 2025, based on crypto.news data. Latin America follows closely, especially Argentina and Brazil, where stablecoin debit cards and wallets are widespread.
Driven by inflation and banking limits, Nigeria and Kenya dominate African stablecoin transfers. Industry analysis confirms USDT and USDC help sidestep old financial barriers for trade and personal remittance.
Crypto.news institutional data shows over 60% of all stablecoin activity now stems from remittance, payroll, and B2B settlement. Gig platforms and large e-commerce companies in the US and Europe now pay workers and vendors abroad directly in stablecoins, cutting through complex international payments.
The use cases that are no longer hypothetical
Stablecoin payouts are routine for digital contracts, cross-border insurance, and gig work, according to crypto.news. In Nigeria, US-based platforms send salaries in USDC weekly to local wallets, making payments cheap and instant while avoiding local currency trouble. In Argentina and Southeast Asia, stablecoins cover everything from major buys to university tuition.
Risks that don’t get enough coverage
Over 93% of all stablecoins are issued by just two entities—Tether and Circle—according to crypto.news.
Here’s the short version:
Stablecoins evolved from speculative trading chips to underlying digital infrastructure, based on crypto.news and recent market data. Their annual volume now matches $9 trillion, user numbers are at 95 million, and they power tens of thousands of payment platforms.
For more on this ongoing transformation, in-depth Stablecoins are quietly becoming the internet’s money articles are available from our team.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making investment decisions.
Sarah Williams is a blockchain technology editor and investigative journalist with 6 years of dedicated crypto reporting. Formerly an editor at CoinDesk, Sarah has broken stories on exchange insolvencies, DeFi exploits, and regulatory enforcement actions. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science from MIT and contributes to the MIT Digital Currency Initiative. Sarah is a frequent speaker at Consensus, Token2049, and ETHGlobal events.
Conflicts of interest
I hold no positions in any cryptocurrency mentioned in my coverage. All investment-related content is reviewed by senior editors before publication. I am not compensated by any project I cover.
