2026 Stablecoin Outlook: Here's What's Coming

Now that 2026 is finally here, we're expanding on the key insights from our 2025 Year-End Report on what's ahead for stablecoins.

With fresh data from late 2025, here's a look at the drivers, opportunities, and risks that will shape the year.

Stablecoins are becoming core infrastructure for dozens of top neobanks and fintechs and in 2026 they will continue to enable billions in annual payment volumes through these platforms as global adoption surges.

An example of this prediction already in action is Revolut's integration with Polygon and TRON, processing over $690 million in stablecoin volume on Polygon by November 2025, allowing seamless 1:1 fiat-to-stablecoin conversions and cross-border remittances for its 65 million users.

What's Happening:

• 90% of financial institutions and fintechs are actively integrating stablecoins for payments and infrastructure.
• Stablecoin payments among fintechs annualized at a $122 billion run rate as of August 2025.

This integration is accelerating now due to regulatory clarity from frameworks like the EU's MiCA and the US GENIUS Act, enabling neobanks and fintechs with stablecoin payments to offer 24/7 global transfers at reduced costs, boosting user engagement and competitiveness against legacy banking systems.

Institutional and RWA adoption is exploding, and in 2026 tokenized RWAs may even surpass $50 billion in value as equities, credit, and commodities increasingly move on-chain to unlock new liquidity pools.

An example of this prediction already in action is Visa's USDC settlement program, now live in the U.S. after achieving a $3.5 billion annualized run rate in 2025, directly linking stablecoins to B2B commerce flows.

What's Happening:

• Tokenized RWAs reached $35.9-36 billion by early 2026, up 260% from prior levels.
• Cross-border payments market projected to hit $320 trillion annually by 2030.
• TRON hosts over $80 billion in USDT, powering 50-60% of global supply in high-usage emerging market corridors.

Enterprise adoption of stablecoins is surging, and in 2026 more Fortune 500 companies will integrate them for payments, treasury, and cross-border operations as regulatory clarity and infrastructure maturity unlock efficiency gains.

What's Happening:

• 54% of financial institutions and corporates not currently using stablecoins plan to adopt them in the next 6-12 months.
• 87% of surveyed corporates see stablecoins as creating a competitive advantage, with 75% expecting 10%+ cost savings.
• Stablecoin transaction volumes exceeded $27 trillion in 2025, rivaling traditional networks and driving enterprise integration.

Last year's data and narratives all point to the fact that USD-pegged stablecoins will continue to dominate the market with over 95% share of total stablecoin market cap throughout the year, even as overall supply grows to $400-500 billion.

This dominance stems from the USD's global reserve currency status, entrenched use in crypto trading and DeFi, and U.S.-centric regulatory tailwinds like the GENIUS Act, which has primarily boosted USD issuers.

Non-USD stablecoins (e.g., EUR, GBP, JPY-pegged) will experience growth, potentially doubling or tripling to $10-20 billion in market cap by year-end, fueled by regional regulations, but they will remain a niche segment at under 5% share.

Current Data Supporting USD Dominance

• Total Stablecoin Market Cap: Approximately $300 billion, with USD-pegged assets like USDT ($187 billion) and USDC ($75 billion) commanding 99%+ of the top 20 stablecoins by market cap.
• Non-USD Share: Less than 1-2% ($5-6 billion total), concentrated in EUR-pegged coins like EURC ($356 million) and EURI (~$54 million), with minimal presence in other currencies (e.g., GBP, SGD, JPY).
• Transaction Volumes: Stablecoins handled $46 trillion in 2025, but non-USD volumes are negligible, as USD assets drive cross-border payments and DeFi.

Why USD Will Stay Dominant

• Regulatory and Institutional Bias: The U.S. GENIUS Act has accelerated USD stablecoin adoption for payments, settlements, and treasury, attracting institutions like Visa and PayPal while sidelining non-USD alternatives.

Forecasts indicate USDT's share may dip to ~55% as competitors like USDC grow, but overall USD pegs will hold 99%+.

• Global USD Hegemony: Stablecoins reinforce the dollar's role in international trade and finance; even in emerging markets, USD-pegged assets are preferred for stability amid local currency volatility.
• Risks to Non-USD Growth: While some predict non-USD could reach 20% of transaction volume (not cap) due to regional demand, market cap growth remains slow with EURC up only 7.6% month-over-month, and faces challenges like fragmentation and lower liquidity.

While non-USD stablecoins may gain traction in Europe and Asia their growth will be incremental and region-specific. USD stablecoins' embedded advantages ensure continued dominance, making them the "internet's dollar" for global finance.

The data is clear: stablecoins are rapidly becoming essential global infrastructure.

Fintechs and neobanks are leading the charge, enterprises are following fast, and tokenized real-world assets are unlocking trillions in new liquidity, all powered overwhelmingly by USD-pegged stablecoins that will retain 95-99% market dominance amid explosive growth to $400–500 billion in total supply.

Upcoming Stablecoin Events

• Consensus Hong Kong: Feb 10-12 (Hong Kong)
• ETH Denver: Feb 17-21 (Denver)

Related Reports

• 2025 Stablecoin Year-End Report
• 2025 Stablecoin Spending Report
• Q4 2025 Stablecoin Regulations Updates

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See you next week,

• The Stablecoin Insider team