As 2025 draws to a close, stablecoins are stepping out of the shadows of cryptocurrency speculation and emerging as central instruments in the evolving landscape of global finance.
Once considered fringe assets, these digital tokens are now at the heart of debates about monetary sovereignty, regulatory oversight, and the modernisation of payment systems.
At press time, the total market capitalisation of stablecoins stood at about $308.9 billion, according to data from DefiLlama.
A recent survey by TRM Labs shows that stablecoins now account for roughly 30% of all on-chain cryptocurrency transaction volume.
The report said stablecoins reached their highest annual transaction volume to date in August 2025, surpassing $4 trillion, an increase of 83% compared with the same period in 2024.
TRM Labs also noted that sanctions-related activity involving stablecoins has declined by about 60%, indicating a reduced use of these assets for sanctions evasion.
As the stablecoin market continues to expand, governments and corporations are increasingly positioning themselves to tap into their potential while seeking to address associated risks, pointing to a broader shift in the global monetary landscape.
Regulators tighten the reins
Across the globe, central banks are taking decisive steps to regulate stablecoins, aiming to prevent systemic shocks while enabling innovation.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently warned that large-scale stablecoin adoption could accelerate currency substitution, particularly in countries with fragile monetary systems, undermining central banks’ control over local currency circulation.
The Bank of Canada have echoed similar concerns, insisting that stablecoins must be fully backed by high-quality liquid assets, including government bonds or treasury bills, to ensure stability and reliability in transactions.
Meanwhile, the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has introduced its first GENIUS Act-based framework, outlining how banks can apply to issue stablecoins through regulated subsidiaries.
These measures reflect a growing recognition that stablecoins, if left unregulated, could disrupt monetary policy and financial stability.
Since the GENIUS Act was signed into law, stablecoin payments in the US have jumped 70%.
South Korea offers a contrasting perspective, where policymakers debate the “51% rule,” requiring stablecoin issuers to be majority-owned by licensed banks.
The proposal has sparked contention between regulators, favouring control and fintech advocates emphasising innovation, illustrating the delicate balance governments face between security and competitiveness.
In Europe and North America, similar frameworks are emerging, with authorities aiming to integrate stablecoins into existing financial infrastructure without stifling their utility.
Corporate adoption surges
While regulators work to establish guardrails, corporations are racing to integrate stablecoins into mainstream financial operations.
Visa has launched a dedicated Stablecoins Advisory Practice, helping banks, fintechs, and merchants adopt digital tokens for payments and settlement, signalling that traditional payment giants are no longer peripheral players in the digital money space.
Mastercard is also pursuing parallel strategies, investing in stablecoin infrastructure and exploring partnerships to bring these tokens into commercial payment networks.
B2BinPay and other white-label platforms are also providing modular infrastructure that allows banks and electronic money institutions to offer branded stablecoin solutions without building complex systems from scratch.
However, the institutional embrace of stablecoins is not limited to payments.
The Stablecoin Insider 2025 Report highlights how stablecoins are becoming integral to financial infrastructure, particularly in regions with high cross-border remittance flows or volatile local currencies.
Governments and regulated institutions are exploring partnerships with technology providers to streamline compliance, integrate real-time settlement, and safeguard funds against fraud or depegging risks.
The result is a financial ecosystem where stablecoins operate alongside traditional bank deposits and central bank digital currencies, blurring the line between conventional money and programmable digital assets.
The risks vs the opportunities in stablecoins
Stablecoins are emerging as tools capable of reshaping payments, cross-border finance, and even monetary policy itself.
As 2026 unfolds, they are already revealing how digital money is woven into the broader monetary fabric and whether the global economy can embrace this shift while safeguarding stability and trust.
However, the expansion of stablecoins presents both opportunities and challenges.
On one hand, they promise faster, cheaper cross-border payments, enhanced financial inclusion, and the ability for businesses to manage liquidity more efficiently.
On the other hand, their proliferation raises concerns about monetary sovereignty, regulatory arbitrage, and systemic risk.
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