Stablecoin payment flows could surge to $56.6 trillion by 2030, according to new estimates from Bloomberg Intelligence, positioning stablecoins as one of the most significant payment tools in global finance.
Bloomberg estimates that stablecoin payment flows totaled $2.9 trillion in 2025, highlighting the scale of growth implied by the projection.
Reaching $56.6 trillion within five years would require an extraordinary compound annual growth rate of roughly 81%, underlining how rapidly the sector is expected to expand.
Drivers Behind The Expansion
Bloomberg Intelligence pointed to increasing institutional adoption as a central driver behind the projected growth in stablecoin payment volumes.
Rising use of stablecoins in countries facing inflationary pressure and economic instability is also expected to contribute meaningfully to adoption.
In these regions, dollar-backed stablecoins are increasingly used as both payment rails and informal savings tools, offering an alternative to volatile local currencies.
Payment Volumes Accelerated In 2025
Stablecoin payment flows grew by 81% year-on-year in 2025, according to Bloomberg, reinforcing the momentum behind the asset class.
Despite the surge in total volume, Bloomberg reported that the share of stablecoin activity occurring on decentralized crypto platforms declined during the year.
This shift was identified using data from crypto analytics firm Artemis, which tracks stablecoin usage across centralized and decentralized venues.
Centralized Versus Decentralized Usage
Tether’s USDT continues to dominate centralized finance usage, remaining the most widely used stablecoin for everyday payments, business transactions, and savings.
Circle’s USDC, by contrast, remains the preferred stablecoin across decentralized finance platforms, where transparency and regulatory alignment are often prioritized.
Artemis co-founder Anthony Yim attributed the decline in DeFi’s share of stablecoin flows to increased usage in emerging economies.
He said this trend reflects how users are navigating an “increasingly unstable geopolitical landscape.”
Transaction Volumes Highlight Market Concentration
Despite USDT’s dominance in circulation, USDC recorded higher total transaction volume in 2025.
USDC transactions reached $18.3 trillion during the year, compared with $13.3 trillion for USDT.
Together, the two stablecoins accounted for more than 95% of total stablecoin transaction volume.
Overall stablecoin transactions reached a record $33 trillion in 2025, representing a 72% year-on-year increase.
Market Capitalization Tells A Different Story
While USDC led in transaction volume, USDT continues to dominate from a valuation perspective.
Tether’s stablecoin currently holds a market capitalization of approximately $186.9 billion.
USDC’s market capitalization stands significantly lower, at around $74.9 billion.
This disparity reflects differences in geographic usage, regulatory positioning, and issuer strategies.
Broader Stablecoin Market Outlook
The overall stablecoin market is currently valued at roughly $312 billion.
In April, the U.S. Treasury estimated that the market could grow to $2 trillion by 2028, underscoring expectations for rapid expansion.
Bloomberg Intelligence’s longer-term projection extends this trajectory into the next decade, driven by payments rather than trading alone.
Nation-State And Institutional Adoption Gathers Pace
Government-level engagement with stablecoins has intensified following recent regulatory developments.
After U.S. President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law in July, both Canada and the United Kingdom renewed efforts to introduce stablecoin frameworks.
These initiatives are expected to roll out in 2026 or shortly thereafter, signaling broader acceptance of stablecoins in mainstream financial systems.
Payment Firms Prepare Stablecoin Integrations
Institutional adoption is also accelerating across the payments industry.
Western Union is preparing to launch a stablecoin settlement system on the Solana blockchain in the first half of 2026.
MoneyGram and Zelle are also rolling out stablecoin-based solutions aimed at enabling faster and cheaper cross-border payments.
Stablecoins Move Toward Financial Infrastructure Status
Bloomberg Intelligence’s forecast suggests stablecoins are evolving beyond niche crypto tools into core components of global payment infrastructure.
If the projected growth materializes, stablecoins could rival traditional payment networks in scale and importance by the end of the decade.
