Stablecoins redefine financial access in emerging markets, report finds

Stablecoins have transformed financial access in emerging markets, becoming essential tools for millions seeking stability in volatile economies, according to a recent research report.

The report, Stablecoins: The Emerging Market Story, was sponsored by Visa and developed in collaboration with Allium Labs and Castle Island Ventures. It revealed that stablecoins have evolved from niche crypto tools into mainstream financial assets.

According to the report, stablecoin usage has surged across countries like Brazil, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey, where traditional banking systems often struggle to meet users’ needs.

The report noted that stablecoins initially served as a tool for traders and exchanges to settle transactions in the crypto world. However, their usage quickly expanded to meet the everyday needs of users in emerging markets.

The study also highlighted that stablecoins, particularly Tether (USDT), became the most trusted digital asset due to their wide network effects and established liquidity

Approximately 47% of people surveyed as part of the study use stablecoins to hold digital dollars as an alternative to unreliable local banking systems, while 43% of respondents favor stablecoins for more efficient currency conversions.

The report estimated that stablecoins settled $2.6 trillion in transactions during the first half of 2024, with over 20 million blockchain addresses making stablecoin transactions each month. This rapid growth reflects the increasing appeal of stablecoins for various everyday financial activities, not just for crypto trading.

The report emphasized that stablecoins played a crucial role in advancing financial inclusion across emerging markets, particularly in countries where access to traditional banking remains limited or unreliable.

In regions with high inflation or volatile local currencies, such as Argentina and Venezuela, stablecoins allowed individuals to hold digital dollars, offering a stable alternative to local currencies. This provided users with the ability to preserve the value of their savings without the need for a traditional bank account, which was often inaccessible or untrustworthy.

Stablecoins also helped bridge the financial gap for those who lacked access to USD-based banking systems. In countries like Nigeria, where the banking infrastructure struggled to offer easy access to US dollars, stablecoins enabled people to store value, make payments, and conduct cross-border transactions more efficiently.

This opened up financial opportunities for millions who would otherwise be excluded from stable and secure financial systems, making stablecoins a powerful tool for financial inclusion in the developing world.

While the adoption of stablecoins raised concerns about “crypto-dollarization” in certain countries, the report showed that stablecoins were set to play an even larger role in global finance.

According to the survey, 72% of respondents expected to increase their stablecoin usage in the next year. The growth was driven by the efficiency, speed, and accessibility of stablecoins for cross-border payments, payroll, and remittances, particularly in areas where traditional financial systems lagged.

The report concluded that stablecoins had firmly established themselves as a viable alternative to traditional banking systems, offering emerging market users a secure and stable way to manage their finances. As stablecoin regulation evolved globally, their role in everyday financial transactions was expected to grow.

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