4. Use-Cases & Regional Adoption
In 2024, stablecoin transfer volume reached $27.6 trillion [1]. This on-chain volume measures all blockchain transactions, not just merchant purchases like card payment volumes do. The scale still reflects significant adoption. For context, Visa processed approximately $16 trillion in payments and cash volume in FY2024.
The stablecoin market has grown approximately 28% year-over-year, with Tether (USDT) holding the largest share at $143 billion in circulation, followed by USD Coin (USDC) at $58 billion [2]. These numbers tell only part of the story. The real insight comes from understanding how and where these digital dollars are being used.
Geographic patterns reveal distinct adoption drivers. USDT dominates in Asia and Europe, where it serves as an accessible dollar alternative in countries with currency restrictions or volatile local money [3]. USDC finds greater use in North America, particularly within regulated financial applications [4]. In Latin America, stablecoins provide inflation protection [5]. In Africa, they integrate with mobile money networks [6]. In Southeast Asia, they facilitate remittances [7].
Stablecoin applications span consumer, enterprise, and institutional use cases. At the consumer level, individuals use stablecoins for peer-to-peer payments, remittances, and crypto trading. Businesses deploy them for B2B payments, treasury management, and cross-border payrolls. Financial institutions leverage stablecoins for interbank settlement, capital market transactions, and collateral management.
This section focuses on five applications where adoption has reached meaningful scale: retail payments and remittances, trading and DeFi collateral, corporate treasury operations, emerging market dollarization, and comparisons with traditional payment systems [8]. Each use case addresses specific pain points in the current financial system, from high remittance fees to slow settlement times.
This section examines these real-world applications, drawing on concrete examples and data to show where stablecoins add value and where traditional systems still hold advantages. We'll explore not just what's possible, but what's actually happening in markets around the world.
What This Section Covers
References
[1] Stablecoins surpass Visa and Mastercard with $27.6 trillion transfer volume in 2024 - https://cryptoslate.com/stablecoins-surpass-visa-and-mastercard-with-27-6-trillion-transfer-volume-in-2024/
[2] Tether clocks $13B in 2024 profits, US bond holdings hit all-time highs - https://cointelegraph.com/news/tether-13-billion-2024-profits-t-bill-holdings-all-time-highs
[3] USDT, USDC, and Beyond: Stablecoin Adoption and Regulation Across the Globe in 2025 - https://yellow.com/research/usdt-usdc-and-beyond-stablecoin-adoption-and-regulation-across-the-globe-in-2025
[4] USDC vs USDT: What's the Difference? Investor's Guide for 2025 - https://web3.bitget.com/en/academy/usdc-vs-usdt-what-is-the-difference-investor-guide-for-2025
[5] Digital Payments Revolution: Emerging Markets Leading Change - https://www.thunes.com/insights/solutions/why-emerging-markets-are-the-next-frontier-for-digital-payments-the-stablecoin-revolution/
[6] Money transfers in Southeast Asia: Key trends and challenges - https://www.fxcintel.com/research/reports/money-transfers-in-southeast-asia-key-players-trends-and-the-challenges-ahead
[7] The Stablecoin Revolution in Remittances - https://www.finextra.com/blogposting/28886/the-stablecoin-revolution-in-remittances
[8] Business Use Cases for Stablecoins: From Remittances to Treasury - https://www.transfi.com/blog/business-use-cases-for-stablecoins-from-remittances-to-treasury
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