Stablecoins Now Hold $120B in U.S. Treasuries, Set to Hit $1T by 2028

TLDR:

• Stablecoin Treasury holdings rival sovereign reserve managers at $120 billion in government debt.
• Industry shift from bank deposits to pure Treasury model reduces counterparty risk exposure significantly.
• Federal Reserve rate cuts and yield compression present near-term headwinds for stablecoin growth rates.
• Year 2026 marks transition point where stablecoins become predictable, visible U.S. Treasury buyer base.
  

Stablecoin issuers have amassed over $120 billion in U.S. government debt, establishing themselves as significant Treasury holders comparable to sovereign nations. 

Industry projections indicate these holdings could surge to $1 trillion by 2028, marking a transformative period for digital currency backing mechanisms.

Treasury Holdings Position Stablecoins Among Major Institutional Buyers

The concentration of stablecoin reserves in U.S. Treasuries has created a new category of institutional demand. Issuers now rank alongside central banks and reserve managers in terms of government debt holdings. 

This positioning emerged from deliberate portfolio restructuring following banking sector stress and heightened regulatory scrutiny. Commercial bank deposits and cash equivalents were systematically replaced with Treasury bills, reverse repos, and government-only funds.

The shift toward a Treasury-centric model provides issuers with enhanced security and regulatory clarity. 

Direct exposure to sovereign debt reduces counterparty risk that plagued earlier backing structures. Market infrastructure adapted to accommodate this flow, with issuers establishing direct relationships with primary dealers and repo facilities. 

According to data shared by Delphi Digital, the U.S. Treasury Department forecasts these holdings reaching $1 trillion within four years.

The year 2026 represents a critical milestone when stablecoins transition from peripheral players to recognized, predictable Treasury buyers. Auction calendars and market analysis now incorporate stablecoin demand patterns. 

This visibility matters for pricing dynamics and liquidity management across the yield curve. The buyer base operates with different motivations than traditional investors, creating unique demand characteristics that market participants must understand.

Path to $1 Trillion Faces Cyclical Challenges Amid Structural Growth

The trajectory toward $1 trillion in Treasury holdings confronts near-term obstacles despite long-term momentum. Growth rates have decelerated after two years of rapid expansion driven by favorable rate conditions. 

Federal Reserve rate cuts pressure front-end yields that previously incentivized stablecoin adoption. Lower short-term rates reduce the economic advantage of holding dollar-pegged tokens over traditional alternatives.

Market volatility characterized much of 2025, though trading volumes may normalize as conditions stabilize. Redemption activity typically increases when conventional savings products offer competitive returns. 

Banks and money market funds recapture market share during rate environments that favor traditional finance. Stablecoin issuers also experience margin compression as their Treasury portfolios roll over at declining coupon rates, affecting profitability.

However, the fundamental integration between stablecoins and funding markets remains robust. Supply dynamics now directly correlate with short-term interest rates and cryptocurrency market demand. 

Temporary contractions do not undermine the secular trend of increased adoption. The asset class has permanently embedded itself within Treasury market infrastructure, creating bidirectional influence between digital assets and sovereign debt. 

This connection will deepen as holdings grow toward the trillion-dollar threshold over the next several years.