TLDR:

• Standard Chartered forecasts stablecoin market cap will grow from $304 billion to $2 trillion by 2028.
  
• Stablecoin reserve practices could generate between $800 billion and $1 trillion in new T-bill demand.
  
• Growth is driven by macroeconomic trends, meaning it persists even if Bitcoin and Ethereum trade sideways.
  
• Rising Treasury exposure gives stablecoin issuers growing political leverage against potential regulatory crackdowns.

Standard Chartered has released a forecast that is drawing attention across traditional finance and crypto markets alike. The bank predicts stablecoin market capitalization will climb from $304 billion today to $2 trillion by 2028.

According to the bank, this growth will be driven by macroeconomic trends rather than crypto-native adoption.

As stablecoin issuers continue parking reserves in US Treasury bills, the demand for short-term government debt could rise sharply. The forecast is reshaping how institutions approach the stablecoin conversation.

Standard Chartered Links Stablecoin Growth to Treasury Demand

Standard Chartered’s forecast draws a direct line between stablecoin expansion and US Treasury markets. Stablecoin issuers like Tether and Circle back their tokens by holding reserves in short-term Treasury bills.

This practice already channels hundreds of billions into T-bill markets at current circulation levels. The bank estimates that scaling to $2 trillion could produce $800 billion to $1 trillion in new T-bill demand.

That level of structural buying is a notable development for sovereign debt markets. Unlike speculative capital flows, this demand is tied directly to stablecoin issuance volume.

It persists regardless of broader crypto market conditions. Financial news account Walter Bloomberg flagged the bank’s estimate, noting the growth is “driven by macroeconomic trends rather than structural issues.”

Crypto outlet Milk Road further contextualized Standard Chartered’s numbers for retail audiences. The outlet noted that stablecoin issuers have “quietly become one of the largest holders of US Treasury bills.”

With $304 billion already in circulation, hundreds of billions in T-bill exposure already exist today. Standard Chartered’s projection simply extends that existing pattern forward.

The bank’s forecast also carries weight because of its source. Standard Chartered is a globally recognized institution, not a crypto-native research firm.

Its entry into stablecoin market analysis signals growing mainstream financial interest. That shift alone adds credibility to the $2 trillion growth projection.

Standard Chartered’s Outlook Points to Broader Market Consequences

Beyond Treasury demand, Standard Chartered’s forecast touches on political and regulatory dynamics. Milk Road pointed out that stablecoin issuers absorbing nearly a trillion in government debt will “grow their political leverage.”

Governments find it increasingly difficult to restrict entities buying large volumes of national debt. This creates a natural shield against aggressive regulatory action.

Standard Chartered’s prediction also suggests stablecoins are becoming too systemically important to ignore. That shift could accelerate regulatory clarity in major jurisdictions around the world.

Clearer frameworks would, in turn, support further stablecoin market expansion. The bank’s forecast, therefore, sets up a self-reinforcing growth cycle.

Milk Road also noted that the projected growth happens “even if BTC and ETH trade sideways.” This separates Standard Chartered’s outlook from typical crypto bull-market narratives.

The bank frames stablecoin growth as a macroeconomic story, not a speculative one. That distinction matters greatly to institutional investors evaluating the sector.

Standard Chartered’s $1 trillion Treasury demand prediction is arriving at a critical time. Deficit spending continues with no clear slowdown, creating persistent need for reliable T-bill buyers.

Stablecoin issuers, under this forecast, step into that role at scale. The bank’s analysis positions stablecoins as a structural pillar of short-term US debt markets going forward.

XRP price rebounded by over 5% on Wednesday as the crypto market rebounded. It jumped to $1.4200, up by nearly 30% from its lowest level this month.

Ripple (XRP) token soared, with its market capitalization rising to over $86.6 billion. This rebound mirrored that of other tokens like Bitcoin (BTC), Morpho (MORPHO), Polkadot (DOT), and Avalanche (AVAX).

The main reason why XRP price jumped was because of the broader crypto market rally, which helped to push the market capitalization of all tokens rising by over 5% to over $2.4 trillion. Bitcoin jumped to $66,500, while Ethereum approached the key resistance level at $2,000.

The crypto market rally coincided with the ongoing recovery of the broader financial market. For example, futures tied to the Dow Jones rose by over 200 points, while those linked to the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 rose by 125 and 30 points, respectively.

XRP price rose as spot Ripple ETTs gained some assets on Tuesday. The funds added over $3 million after having no inflows in the previous two consecutive days. They now have over $1.22 billion in cumulative inflows, bringing the total assets to over $981 million.

XRP demand continued rising, with the futures open interest rising to over $2.3 billion from this week’s low of $2 billion. The volume in the spot market rose to over $3.1 billion.

XRP price technical analysis 

The daily timeframe chart shows that the Ripple price rebounded by over 5.6% on Wednesday, reaching its highest level since Monday this week. 

This rebound happened after it formed a doji candlestick pattern on Tuesday. A doji is made up of a small body and a small upper and lower shadow. It is one of the most common bullish reversal signs in technical analysis.

The rebound also happened after forming a double-bottom pattern at $1.3435 and a neckline at $1.6617.  

Therefore, there is a likelihood that the token will continue rising, potentially to the key resistance level at $1.6617, which is up by 17.7% above the current level.

However, there is still a risk that the rebound is a dead-cat bounce, which is a situation where an asset in a freefall rebounds briefly and then resumes the downtrend.

The view that this is a dead-cat bounce will become invalid if it moves above the 100-day Exponential Moving Average and flips the Supertrend indicator from red to green.

TLDR:

• Chainlink is trading near $8.75, with analysts identifying a critical monthly demand zone between $4.00 and $4.70.
  
• A liquidity sweep below $4.70 is flagged as an engineered inducement trap targeting retail stop losses in the zone.
  
• Projected targets run from $13 to $30, $42, and $53, reflecting a potential 1,200% expansion from the demand area.
  
• A sustained monthly close below $2.00 would fully invalidate the bullish setup and the broader technical thesis.

LINK is trading near $8.75 as of this writing, drawing attention from technical analysts tracking higher timeframe structures.

A monthly demand zone between $4.00 and $4.70 has emerged as a focal point in recent market commentary. Analysts are pointing to a convergence of technical signals that may set the stage for a substantial price expansion.

Some projections now place a long-term target as high as $53, representing a potential 1,200% move from the identified demand area.

Critical Demand Zone and Structural Setup in Focus

The $4.00–$4.70 price range on the monthly chart is currently being watched closely by market participants. Crypto analyst Crypto Patel recently described this zone as a monthly order block with characteristics consistent with institutional accumulation.

According to the analyst, a liquidity sweep below the $4.70 level has already occurred, targeting retail stop losses in the area. This move is framed as an engineered inducement trap, a common pattern within Smart Money Concepts analysis.

Supporting the demand zone argument is a multi-year range compression visible on LINK’s higher timeframe chart. Prolonged consolidation periods of this nature tend to precede significant directional expansions in technical analysis frameworks.

The analyst also references Wyckoff Accumulation theory as a complementary lens for reading the current market structure. Together, these frameworks suggest that a slow, deliberate accumulation phase may already be underway.

The $4.00 level carries particular weight within this setup, as it acts as the structural floor for the entire thesis. Crypto Patel noted that LINK must defend this level to keep the broader bullish case intact.

A sustained monthly close below $2.00 would, however, fully invalidate the setup as outlined. That condition currently serves as the defined risk boundary for the technical argument presented.

Projected Rally Targets and Liquidity Pool Dynamics

If the demand zone holds, the projected price targets run in stages toward $13, then $30, $42, and eventually $53 or beyond.

These levels represent a step-by-step expansion from the current accumulation area based on the analyst’s outlined roadmap.

A key liquidity cluster sits between $30 and $31, where equal highs have formed over multiple cycles. This pool of resting buy-side liquidity is expected to attract price during a more advanced phase of any rally.

Crypto Patel further noted that most retail participants are likely to enter the trade near the $30 region, well after any early move develops.

The analyst contrasted this with what is described as current smart money positioning around present price levels near $8.75.

This dynamic between early accumulation and late public participation forms the core narrative of the technical case. The current range is framed as a rare window that historically precedes larger cycle moves.

Chainlink continues to hold relevance as a leading oracle protocol connecting blockchain smart contracts to external data. Its fundamental utility keeps it positioned within broader conversations around decentralized infrastructure.

Whether the outlined technical scenario materializes depends on sustained structural support and overall market conditions. Traders are advised to conduct independent research and exercise caution before making any financial decisions.

• Ethereum (ETH) is stabilising near $1,800–$1,900 after a prolonged sell-off.
• Whale accumulation and falling leverage hint at reduced downside risk.
• Strong fundamentals support a potential shift from decline to consolidation.

Ethereum (ETH) is showing early signs of stabilisation after weeks of steady downside pressure.

The price has been trading near the $1,800–$1,900 zone, an area that has repeatedly acted as support during recent sell-offs.

This level matters because it reflects a point where sellers appear to be losing momentum.

The broader market context remains cautious, but Ethereum’s behaviour suggests the panic phase may be fading.

Over the past month, ETH has declined sharply from its previous highs, erasing a large portion of earlier gains.

That drop pushed sentiment into deeply bearish territory.

However, sharp declines often set the stage for reassessment rather than continued free fall.

Ethereum now appears to be testing a local bottom rather than accelerating lower.

ETH technical analysis

On the chart, Ethereum has been consolidating after bouncing from recent lows.

This type of sideways movement often follows strong sell-offs.

Momentum indicators show selling pressure easing, even if bullish strength remains limited.

However, ETH is still trading below key moving averages, which confirms that the broader trend has not fully flipped.

At the same time, the distance from these averages highlights how stretched the downside move has become.

Historically, similar conditions have preceded relief rallies or longer periods of accumulation.

Support around the $1,800 range has held despite multiple tests.

Each successful defence of this zone strengthens its importance.

A clean break below it would reopen the door to deeper losses.

For now, buyers seem willing to step in at these levels.

Resistance, however, remains overhead near the psychological $2,000 mark.

A sustained move above that area would likely improve the short-term sentiment.

But until then, ETH remains in a cautious recovery phase rather than a confirmed uptrend.

On-chain activity shows whale accumulation

Beyond price action, on-chain data shows large holders have been steadily increasing their ETH balances.

This behaviour often signals long-term confidence.

Whale accumulation, however, does not guarantee immediate price gains.

Nevertheless, it suggests that experienced players see value at current levels.

At the same time, derivatives data show declining open interest, pointing to reduced leverage in the market.

Often, lower leverage typically means less forced selling during volatility, although Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin has been offloading his ETH during the bearish market.

Vitalik Buterin earmarked 17,000 ether, worth about $43 million, for privacy projects in January.

A month later, his wallet balance is down by roughly that amount, and the token he’s selling has lost more than a third of its value.

Arkham Intelligence data shows Buterin’s attributed wallets held about 241,000 ETH at the start of February.

That figure now sits at 224,000 ETH after a steady series of outflows through the month, including $6.6 million over three days earlier in February and roughly another $7 million in the past three days alone.

While Vitalik’s ETH selling can weigh on sentiment, its actual impact on overall liquidity has been limited.

Most notably, Ethereum’s daily trading volume has remained large enough to absorb these offloads.

Key Takeaways

• The Error: A coding failure caused the agent to send 5% of the total token supply (valued between $250k and $441k) to a random user instead of a $400 donation.
• The Reaction: Despite the massive loss of treasury funds, LOBSTAR price surged 190% as the community embraced the narrative of “agentic risk.”
• The Aftermath: The recipient liquidated the tokens for just $40k due to slippage, while the project market cap climbed to $12 million.

TLDR:

• MoneyGram will operate a founding federated node on Midnight mainnet ahead of launch.
• Midnight mainnet uses zero-knowledge cryptography to enable confidential smart contracts.
• The federated model ensures coordinated governance during the Kūkolu roadmap phase.
• Enterprise operators aim to support stable, compliance-ready blockchain infrastructure.

MoneyGram joins Midnight Network as a founding federated node operator, reinforcing the blockchain’s privacy-first architecture ahead of its planned March mainnet launch.

The Midnight Foundation confirmed the development as part of the Kūkolu phase of its roadmap. By integrating an established global payments provider into its launch infrastructure, Midnight mainnet strengthens its operational framework while advancing confidential, compliance-aware blockchain deployment from day one.

MoneyGram Anchors Founding Federated Infrastructure

MoneyGram will operate a founding federated node on Midnight mainnet. The company serves customers in more than 200 countries and territories. Its addition embeds real-world payments infrastructure directly into Midnight’s early operational layer.

In an official statement released by the Midnight Foundation, Luke Tuttle, Chief Product and Technology Officer at MoneyGram, explained the company’s position.

He stated that MoneyGram has delivered practical crypto solutions for years. He added that running blockchain nodes aligns naturally with that strategy.

Tuttle further noted that participation allows MoneyGram to help ensure privacy, compliance, and reliability are built into the network from the outset.

His remarks framed the collaboration as an operational step rather than a symbolic partnership. The statement was circulated through Midnight’s communication channels following recent announcements at Consensus Hong Kong.

Zero-Knowledge Design Supports Compliance and Privacy

Midnight mainnet is engineered around zero-knowledge cryptography and confidential smart contracts. The architecture enables transaction verification without disclosing sensitive user information. This structure is intended to support regulated industries entering on-chain environments.

Addressing this approach, Omri Ross, Chief Blockchain Officer at eToro, commented on Midnight’s programmable data protection model.

In a statement shared by the foundation, Ross said eToro was encouraged by the network’s selective disclosure capabilities.

He emphasized that granular control over data visibility is foundational for blockchain infrastructure serving global markets.

Ross also stated that confidential smart contracts with built-in verifiability align with eToro’s long-term view of asset tokenization.

His remarks connected privacy-enhancing technology with regulated financial expansion. The comments accompanied confirmation that eToro will serve as a federated node operator.

Broader Industry Participation in Federated Operations

Midnight mainnet’s federated model includes operators from payments, fintech, and telecommunications. Pairpoint, backed by Vodafone and Sumitomo Corporation, will also run a node. Pairpoint focuses on enabling autonomous economic activity within connected device ecosystems.

David Palmer, Chief Innovation Officer at Pairpoint, addressed the partnership in a formal statement. He said Midnight’s zero-knowledge architecture is essential for trusted IoT device identity and authentication. Palmer connected privacy infrastructure with scaling across global networks in the emerging IoT AI economy.

Fahmi Syed, President of the Midnight Foundation, commented on the collective participation of MoneyGram, Pairpoint, and eToro.

In a statement accompanying the announcement, he said the presence of a global payments network, a Fortune 500-backed technology venture, and a publicly traded fintech operating nodes signals the direction of blockchain infrastructure. He described the consortium as an early foundation for a broader privacy-focused ecosystem.

Midnight mainnet is preparing for its March launch under explicit coordination rules for federated operators. The foundation stated that additional updates will be published as the rollout approaches.

Developers are expected to begin building privacy-enhancing applications from the network’s initial operational phase.

MIAMI BEACH — Endowments are rethinking where they invest as they brace for weaker returns from traditional assets.

At the iConnections conference on Tuesday, several chief investment officers said the playbook that drove gains over the past decade may not work as well in the next one. Equity valuations remain high, credit spreads are near historic lows, and private markets are crowded, leaving little room for error.

“I think in general, our expectations are that for all of the traditional asset classes that we’ve invested in, we sort of believe this is both return compression and probably Alpha compression,” said Kim Lew, CEO and president of Columbia Investment Management Company.

Lower expected returns create a math problem. Private foundations, for example, must pay out about 5% of assets each year. Add operating costs, and the hurdle rate climbs. “If you don’t earn returns of 8% the model doesn’t work,” said Carlos Rangel of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, one of the largest U.S. philanthropic foundations in the U.S.

That pressure is pushing investment teams to search further afield. Lew said generating outperformance may require going “a little bit further on the risk curve” and exploring strategies they have not used before.

That search has, in some cases, led endowments into cryptocurrency markets, which were once viewed as too volatile or operationally complex for traditional institutions. Early university investors such as Yale and Harvard backed crypto-focused venture funds years ago, gaining indirect exposure to digital assets through private vehicles. More recently, the approval of spot bitcoin BTC$66,773.01 and ether (ETH) exchange-traded funds in the U.S. has offered a simpler route.

Harvard University and Brown University, for example, have disclosed positions in both bitcoin and ether ETFs in their latest 13F filings. While the allocations appear small relative to their overall portfolios, the disclosures show how digital assets have moved from the fringe of institutional finance into the mainstream toolkit.

For endowments facing lower expected returns from stocks and bonds, crypto ETFs can serve as a high-risk, high-volatility satellite position.

Still, panelists made clear that the broader challenge extends beyond any single asset class. Many institutions are tempering expectations after years of strong market performance. Equity risk premiums look thin, private markets hold record amounts of unsold assets and macro uncertainty remains elevated.

“I think it’s a really hard setup for outstanding returns,” Lew said.

As crypto markets linger in a prolonged downturn, LeanHash shows investors how idle BTC, ETH, and XRP can be transformed into a $17,000 profit through smart hashrate allocation.

As the cryptocurrency market enters a prolonged bottoming-out phase, the traditional Hold-on-Demand (HODL) strategy is causing many investors to lose value. However, smart money is shifting towards a more defensive and high-return model.

Recently, data released by LeanHash, a globally renowned hashrate platform, shows that through its innovative multi-asset hashrate allocation scheme, smart investors have successfully achieved a net profit of over $17,000 during the downturn.

The “sunk cost” trap during market downturns

For long-term holders of BTC, ETH, and XRP, the biggest enemy right now is not price declines, but “sleeping assets.” During periods of low volatility and sideways movement, assets fail to generate cash flow.

“You can’t just sit there and wait for the bull market to return,” said LeanHash’s Chief Strategy Officer at the recent Dubai Web3 Summit. “The real winners are those who create passive income by leveraging the underlying value of assets when the market is stagnant. Our new solution is designed to transform these ‘silent assets’ into ‘hashrate engines.’

Unveiling the $17,000 profit path: The power of scientific allocation

LeanHash’s solution isn’t based on numbers generated out of thin air; it’s grounded in a precise hashrate arbitrage model. This solution primarily consists of three core dimensions:

1.The “ballast” effect of BTC and ETH: 

Utilizing LeanHash’s globally deployed high-performance ASIC mining clusters, users can convert their BTC or ETH holdings into hashrate contracts. Compared to direct buying and selling, this method ensures a fixed daily output of 1.5% – 1.8% even when the price is flat.

2.XRP’s “Accelerating Momentum”: 

In response to the recent legal clarification and return of liquidity for XRP, LeanHash launched a proprietary XRP hashrate-linked product. This product allows users to leverage XRP’s high liquidity to participate in short-term, high-frequency hashrate settlements, with a 24-hour yield reaching up to 1.78%, becoming a key driver in achieving the $17,000 target.

3.Compound Interest Snowballing:

The core of this scheme is “daily settlement, immediate reinvestment.” By reinvesting daily profits into more efficient next-generation hashrate packages, the $17,000 target can typically be achieved exponentially within a 45-60 day period.

Why is LeanHash trustworthy?

In the crypto industry, trust is more valuable than gold. LeanHash stands out based on three pillars:

• Transparent hardware support: Unlike many fake cloud mining schemes, LeanHash allows users to view the operations of physical mining farms located in Iceland and Kazakhstan via real-time monitoring cameras.
• Low barrier to entry and high incentives: The platform is extremely user-friendly for new users, offering a free $15 trial bonus upon registration. This means users can test the system’s real output without investing any capital.
• Zero technical burden: LeanHash automates the complex processes of hardware maintenance, electricity costs, and mining pool configuration. Users simply select contracts via the mobile app, and the rest is handled by LeanHash’s AI scheduling system.

Get started now

In the history of cryptocurrency, wealth has always been redistributed during downturns. While most people are selling in fear, professional investors are building their own “digital cash flow hubs” through platforms like LeanHash.

How to get started?

1.Visit LeanHash.com and complete the quick registration.

2.Claim the $15 registration bonus and experience the first computing power earnings.

3.Configure dedicated contracts for mainstream currencies such as BTC, ETH, or XRP based on risk tolerance.

Conclusion

Market downturns are not scary; what’s scary is having assets idle during a downturn. Locking in $17,000 in profits could stem from a single tool choice users make today.

About LeanHash

LeanHash is a leading global cloud computing service provider headquartered in the UK, currently serving over 3 million users in more than 180 countries worldwide. Its mission is to enable everyone globally to equally share in the benefits of blockchain technology.

For more details, please visit the official website: leanhash.com or download the iOS and Android mobile apps to track real-time earnings anytime, anywhere.

Key Takeaways

• Platform Launch: CMU OmniClear will develop a central infrastructure to settle tokenized bonds and eventually other digital assets.
• Regional Connectivity: The system is designed to link with other tokenization platforms across the Asia-Pacific region to boost cross-border liquidity.
• Stablecoin Integration: New fiat-referenced stablecoin licenses will issue in March to support settlement and exploring commercial use cases.

Cross-border B2B payments in 2026 still pose problems that everyone agrees on. Yet the day-to-day barely changes.

Cut-off times, intermediaries, manual reconciliation, surprise fees. It’s still all too common for a simple international transfer to turn into a days-long exercise in waiting, chasing, and explaining variance on the ledger.

As a matter of fact, the ECB has pointed out that in 2024, one-third of retail cross-border payments took more than one business day to settle, and for nearly one-quarter of global corridors, costs exceeded 3%. 

Even the G20 roadmap telegraphs how big the gap is. By end-2027, the target is for 75% of cross-border wholesale payments to be credited within one hour. That’s the ambition.

This is part of the reason stablecoins keep coming back into the conversation. Settlement in seconds, 24/7/365, anywhere in the world, and fees you won’t even notice. Let’s dive deeper.

It’s Time for Programmable Money

Stablecoins make the most sense when you think about them in the context of payments, instead of crypto. In a B2B context, they function like digital cash. Always-on settlement, global reach, and the ability to plug straight into workflows via APIs.

Where it gets interesting is that stablecoins are programmable. Once you treat dollars as programmable objects, you can start building treasury logic around them. 

• Automated sweeps. For example, automatically moving excess stablecoin balances from operational wallets into a treasury wallet at the end of each day, or rebalancing liquidity across regions without manual intervention.
• Conditional payments. Releasing funds only once predefined conditions are met, such as confirming goods have been delivered, a milestone has been completed, or compliance checks have cleared.
• Real-time reporting hooks. Integrating wallet activity directly into internal dashboards or ERP systems, so treasury teams can see balances and flows update instantly instead of waiting for bank statements.
• On-chain cash segmentation. Separating funds by function (payroll, vendor payments, reserves, tax liabilities) across distinct wallets or smart contracts, creating clean internal accounting boundaries.
• On-chain yield as a policy decision. Allocating a portion of idle stablecoin balances into tokenized T-bills or structured on-chain lending markets as part of a formal treasury strategy, rather than treating yield as opportunistic trading. 

Norman Wooding, Founder & CEO of SCRYPT, builds on that final point:

“”DeFi yields respond to real-time supply and demand – structurally different from traditional fixed income. Leading CFOs already know: as rate compression continues, stablecoins offer sources of diversification and yield without crypto price exposure, or 1:1 correlation with traditional solutions. SCRYPT provides institutional access, with risk management built into the architecture.”

Indeed, stablecoins can act like settlement cash, while opening optionality for treasury returns that don’t depend on being long crypto. 

Exploring Volumes and Separating ‘Settlement’ From ‘Payments’

On raw transaction value, total stablecoin volume hit $35 trillion in 2025, according to media reports, citing McKinsey and Artemis Analytics.

But big on-chain volume doesn’t necessarily mean big payments. A lot of stablecoin flow is exchange rebalancing, arbitrage, and DeFi routing – activity that’s economically meaningful, but not the same as a business paying a supplier. This is why adjusted lenses matter. Visa’s on-chain stablecoin work points to $10.2T in adjusted transaction volume over the last 12 months, aiming to filter out non-payment static. 

When you home in on real-economy usage, the signal sharpens further. According to the Stablecoin Payments from the Ground Up report, B2B stablecoin volumes have surged from under $100 million monthly in early 2023 to over $3 billion by mid-2025, roughly a 30-fold increase.

So, stablecoins are moving serious value. Let’s move deeper into the ‘why’. 

Why B2B Keeps Choosing Stablecoins

Talk to anyone actually moving money cross-border for a living, and you’ll hear the same complaints regarding traditional systems: cut-off times, intermediaries, fee leakage, and manual reconciliation.

Stablecoins are an obvious win. They lack intermediaries, work constantly, offer low fees and even lower rejection rates. Moreover, they open up new audiences for the merchant, positioning them as forward-thinking and adding a competitive advantage. 

It’s not like the legacy world isn’t trying to respond. Swift itself has started pushing new rules aimed at predictable retail cross-border payments, cutting out hidden fees, focusing on full value transfers, and faster settlement where domestic infrastructure allows. 

But global coordination is hard, and even the G20’s programme to make cross-border payments cheaper and faster is now widely expected to miss its 2027 targets.

Federico Variola, CEO of Phemex, speaks to the adoption curve:

“For younger generations, sending value internationally via stablecoins already makes more sense than using SWIFT. Traditional bank transfers are slow, cumbersome, and expensive, while stablecoins are immediate and easier to operate. As regulation becomes clearer and reporting more straightforward, there’s little structural friction left. From a pure money-transfer perspective, stablecoins are well positioned to overtake traditional banking systems. What’s required now is broader adoption of the mindset.”

While little friction remains, some still exists. Let’s expand on that. 

The Real Blockers: Compliance, Redemptions, and Career Risk

Redemption has to be reliable, liquidity has to hold under stress, controls have to be auditable, and the “what happens if…” scenarios need strong answers.

Even the IMF’s pro-innovation framing comes with a warning. Stablecoins can make payments faster and cheaper, but the upside gets undermined fast if the market fragments into non-interoperable coins and networks that can’t cleanly connect. 

Central banks are even harsher. The BIS argues stablecoins fall short on core money properties (particularly singleness and integrity) which is a polite way of saying they don’t automatically earn “no questions asked” trust.

Regulation is trying to close that gap. In the EU, MiCA bakes in specific protections for e-money tokens, including issuance and redemption rules at par value, and the EBA is already publishing guidance on redemption plans, liquidity stress testing, and recovery planning. FSB recommendations push in the same direction globally: consistent oversight, governance, and risk management standards.

Then, there’s the softer limiter: reputational comfort (something Variola framed earlier). What’s needed now might be a more constructive public narrative so skeptical users feel comfortable engaging. For CFOs, this ‘reputational comfort’ translates to a low career risk.

Final Thoughts

Stablecoins move value fast, at any hour, across borders, without the usual chain of intermediaries and delays.

The programmable money layer is what thickens the plot. Once dollars can be moved, segmented, and reported on like software, you start to get treasury use cases that aren’t really possible on banking legacy infrastructure. Automated sweeps, conditional releases, real-time visibility, and, in some cases, policy-driven yield.

At the same time, the remaining friction is real. CFOs care about redemption certainty, liquidity under stress, auditability, and whether the compliance posture is defensible. Until those boxes are consistently ticked, stablecoins will keep growing as a practical option rather than becoming the default everywhere.

But directionally, it’s hard to miss what’s happening. The volumes are rising, the B2B highways are being laid, and the mindset is spreading. The only question left is how quickly the compliance and trust layer catches up.