Crypto World

B2B Stablecoin Payments Grew Over 730% YoY in 2025

Published

3 weeks ago

25 February 2026

From windmills to auto parts, small to medium-sized are leading the way with stablecoin adoption, per a new report from Stablecon and Artemis.

Business-to-business (B2B) stablecoin payments ballooned over 730% year-over-year in 2025, according to a new report by Artemis and Stablecon.

For cross-border payments, the United States received the largest stablecoin flows into the country, with nearly $127 billion monthly. China emerged as the second-largest country for receiving stablecoin payments from international senders, processing nearly $71 billion per month on average, followed by Hong Kong with almost $51 billion.

The report estimates that total annual stablecoin payments soared to $390 billion, more than double 2024 levels, with B2B transactions accounting for roughly 60% of the total.

Though they represent a relatively small slice of stablecoin payment types, card-linked stablecoin transactions saw massive growth last year as well, surging 840% year-over-year.

Speaking with The Defiant, Andrew Van Aken, data scientist at Artemis, clarified that, contrary to popular belief, the top countries for stablecoin usage tend to be those with the highest payment volumes, and developed economies are also increasingly adopting new payment methods.

“I think the most important angle is that the top stablecoin countries tend to be the countries with the highest payment volumes. While the narrative is often that stablecoins are used in emerging countries, developed countries are also looking for new and innovative payment methods,” Van Aken said.

Van Aken also specified that on the B2B side, adoption is concentrated among small and medium-sized businesses — from windmills to scarf makers to auto part companies — seeking to decrease payment times.

“We can’t explicitly shed light on specifics, but it tends to be a lot of small to medium-sized businesses, often tech forward businesses that are looking to decrease payment times,” he added.

As the report itself also notes, the rise in stablecoin use may be linked to their ability to speed up cross-border payments and reduce the extra steps of traditional banking.

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Crypto World

UK Has Unique Opportunity to Merge EU, US Crypto Regimes: Circle Exec

Published

2 minutes ago

19 March 2026

NewsAdmin

UK Has Unique Opportunity to Merge EU, US Crypto Regimes: Circle Exec

Circle’s policy chief Dante Disparte told a United Kingdom House of Lords committee that the UK has a chance to build its crypto regime by combining the clarity of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) with elements of the new US stablecoin framework.

“The model is clear: take the best of both and make it distinctly British,” Disparte said during a Wednesday meeting of the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee. “From Europe, take clarity, definitions, licensing, governance and strong consumer protection from the US and the landmark Genius Act.”

Disparte argued that the absence of a regulatory framework will keep stablecoin activity offshore, leaving UK users more exposed and jeopardizing London’s status as a global hub for financial innovation. The meeting was part of the House of Lords’ inquiry into growth and proposed regulation of stablecoins in the UK, with Disparte and Jesse McWaters of Mastercard scheduled as witnesses.

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been consulting on a broader crypto asset regime that is expected to come into force on Oct. 25, 2027, when companies conducting the new regulated activities will need authorization.

Trusted stablecoins “expand” markets Circle’s Disparte

Disparte also addressed concerns that stablecoins could deplete bank deposits and reduce demand for traditional lines of credit.

“The future is not banks versus stablecoins,” argued Disparte, adding that a clear regulatory framework can manage these risks without stifling innovation by adopting strong reserve and liquidity standards and encouraging bank participation.

“Our growth across currencies and jurisdictions is proof that trusted stablecoins expand markets. They do not shrink them.”

Disparte proposed four governing principles to anchor the UK’s regulatory framework: 1-to-1 reserve backing, requiring high-quality liquid reserves, enforceable redemptions and strong transparency standards.

Circle is the issuer of the world’s second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization, USDC (USDC).

*Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and head of global policy and operations at Circle. Source:* *Parliamentlive.tv*

The US’s federal stablecoin framework, the GENIUS Act, was signed into law on July 18, 2025. The EU’s MiCA framework, the first comprehensive regulatory framework for the crypto industry, went into effect for crypto-asset service providers on Dec. 30, 2024.

Stablecoins lack clear value proposition

Mastercard’s McWaters said stablecoins lack a clear value proposition to threaten payment cards.

Stablecoins currently lack a “clear value proposition that would drive customers” to adopt them over the variety of domestic payment options available, McWaters said, while also praising their ability to accelerate cross-border transactions.

*Jesse McWaters, executive vice president and head of global policy, Mastercard. Source: Parliamentlive.tv*

“Blockchain technology, the rails on which stablecoins run, provides a new, innovative and potentially significantly additive way of moving money, particularly in cross-border contexts,” he said.