Stablecoins reshape global finance as adoption soars beyond $300 billion in 2025
Stablecoin use surged in 2025, with daily active users doubling as adoption spread across global stock markets. Regulatory shifts and economic instability in emerging regions have driven growth, pushing the total market value beyond $300 billion. A new report from Orbital highlights how these digital assets are reshaping payments, particularly in countries with weak currencies.
The U.S. introduced major stablecoin regulations in mid-2025, starting with the GENIUS Act on July 17. This law mandated 1:1 reserves in low-risk assets, setting the first federal framework for the sector. Meanwhile, the Senate's ongoing CLARITY Act negotiations aim to restrict yield payments on stablecoins. In response, Tether launched USAT, a compliant product, helping fuel a 50% expansion of the global stock market.
Regulatory changes coincided with economic pressures in Latin America, where inflation and currency instability led to an 89% increase in stablecoin use. The region's stock market grew to $324 billion in 2025, with Standard Chartered predicting $1 trillion in outflows from local banks by 2028. Africa saw even higher adoption, with 79% of users turning to stablecoins compared to 45% in wealthier nations.
Transaction patterns shifted significantly. USDT dominated retail payments, accounting for 73% of transactions under $10,000—a tenfold rise from 2024. USDC, though less common in small payments, led in high-value transfers, pointing to institutional use. Orbital's Q4 report also noted that two-thirds of consumer-to-merchant payments came from exchange-linked accounts, influencing how businesses accept digital currencies.
Blockchain networks adapted to the demand. Binance's BSC remained the largest, holding 35% of the market, while Aptos expanded its share to 22% by late 2025. Traditional Layer 2 chains like Arbitrum, Polygon, and Optimism lost ground, dropping from 20% to around 10% combined. Exchange strategies varied, with platforms like Binance (BSC), HTX (Tron), and Coinbase (Base) shaping liquidity through different infrastructure approaches.
Despite rapid transaction growth—up 105% in 2025—supply expansion slowed to just 1.3% in December. Stablecoins also acted as parallel currencies in countries with high premiums, such as Algeria (97%), Bolivia (71%), and Venezuela (41%). Europe's MiCAR rules and the U.K.'s stablecoin restrictions further influenced adoption trends, steering the assets toward mainstream financial use.
The stablecoin market has evolved from a niche crypto product into a key payment tool, especially in regions with unstable economies. With regulatory frameworks now in place in the U.S. and Europe, adoption is expected to keep rising. Analysts project continued growth as digital currencies fill gaps left by traditional banking systems.
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