Mike Smith
Apr 8
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Stablecoins are moving from the category of technical tools of the crypto industry to the forefront of financial innovation. Growing transaction volumes, highly profitable business models and strategic investments by institutional players signal the long-term potential of this segment.
Stripe's $1.1 billion acquisition of crypto-infrastructure startup Bridge was a game changer that caught the attention of venture capital funds. This largest deal in the sector's history demonstrates the willingness of large fintech companies to integrate stablecoins into large-scale payment systems.
Considering that Stripe processes more than $1 trillion worth of transactions annually, transferring even a fraction of that volume to its own stablecoin could generate up to $40 billion in annual revenue on interest margins alone (while keeping the yield on treasuries around 4%).
Unlike in previous periods, the current growth of stablecoins is not tied to bullish or bearish cryptocurrency market cycles. According to The Block, since the beginning of 2024, stackcoin has grown from $125 billion to nearly $230 billion, an increase of 84%.
Particularly impressive is the momentum of cross-boarder payments based on stablecoins, reaching $50 billion monthly, whereas this segment was virtually non-existent at the end of 2023. This indicates that stablecoins are moving beyond crypto trading and are beginning to function as a full-fledged financial infrastructure.
Stablecoin issuers are demonstrating exceptional financial efficiency. Tether, for example, generates billions of dollars in interest income with minimal operating costs.
“It's a very profitable business,” notes Stefan Cohen of Bain Capital Crypto.
Not surprisingly, traditional financial institutions, fintech companies and startups are increasingly considering launching their own stablecoins. In parallel, investors are increasing their support for infrastructure projects, from wallets to payment gateways.
The concept of “embedded” models is gaining popularity, where the user may not realize the use of stablecoins, but it is they that ensure the speed of transactions and profitability of the product.
Further sustainable growth of the stablecoin market is directly dependent on the formation of a clear regulatory framework. Legislative initiatives in the US are seen as a key trigger for the next phase of development.
David Pakman of CoinFund estimates that after the adoption of the law on the circulation of stablecoins, transaction volumes could increase fivefold in a short period of time.
However, there are also risks. Jed Breed of Breed VC warns of the possible negative effects of regulatory favoritism against the big players, which could stifle competition at the outset. The lobbying influence of traditional banks is already evident in some of the bills.
Venture investors are betting not just on quantitative growth, but on a fundamental transformation of the digital payments sphere, where steblecoins will become the main way of transferring value on the Internet.
Already, the volume of transactions with stablecoins has exceeded 5.5 trillion dollars for 2024, with another 2 trillion added in the first months of 2025. Visa predicts the volume could exceed $6 trillion by the end of this year, and this data only takes into account real economic activity, excluding bots and noise transactions.
Stablecoins are transforming not only into a key element of the crypto industry, but also becoming a bridge to traditional finance. The development of the regulatory environment and infrastructure will be a determining factor for the next wave of growth, provided that a competitive environment conducive to innovation is maintained.
