Stablecoins processed $9 trillion in payments during 2025, representing an 87 percent jump from 2024, as the technology moves from cryptocurrency settlement tool to mainstream payment infrastructure. The explosive growth positions stablecoins as the correspondent banking system's toughest competition yet in 2026, with payment technology firms racing to capture the emerging market.
Stripe, PayPal, and Circle are developing enterprise payment use cases for stablecoins, focusing on cross-border B2B payments where the technology delivers instant settlement at a fraction of traditional costs. Industry experts predict enterprise cross-border B2B payments represent the breakthrough application that will push stablecoins into mainstream financial infrastructure.
The regulatory environment has shifted dramatically to enable this growth. US issuers increasingly pursue banking-like charters, reflecting regulatory recognition that stablecoin issuers carry systemic relevance requiring stress testing, tighter reserve rules, and deeper disclosures. The favorable regulatory stance has unleashed the first wave of stablecoin innovation focused on fiat-backed payment applications.