Stablecoins have crossed a major milestone: nearly $940 billion in settlement volume in a single month, putting them within striking distance of Visa’s monthly figures. And the growth is heating up fast.
👉 FinTelegram: Stablecoins Settle $940 B a Month
Key Numbers and Why They Matter
- $939.9 billion in on‑chain settlement volume over 30 days — about 70% of Visa’s and more than Mastercard’s.
- McKinsey estimates stablecoin usage is already at $600–900 billion per month, with $27 trillion in annual volumelogged in 2024.
- USDC alone accounted for $1 trillion in settlement volume in November 2024, showcasing stablecoins moving beyond crypto trading into real‑world financial infrastructure.
- Nearly 20% of all volume occurred on weekends — when card networks and banks are typically offline.
What’s Fueling the Surge?
- 24/7 Finality – Stablecoins settle in seconds, bridging gaps left by slower rails like SWIFT, ACH, and card-based systems.
- Lower Costs, Smarter Rails – Layer-2 chains like Arbitrum and Solana reduce transaction fees, unlocking scale.
- Regulation Meets Readiness – Frameworks like the U.S. GENIUS Act and EU MiCA give institutions confidence in stablecoin compliance.
- Global Utility – From Latin American remittances to cross-border B2B settlements, stablecoins are proving adaptable and bank-agnostic.
Why Visa and Mastercard Should Be Watching
- At the current run rate, stablecoins are on track to settle $11 trillion annually — nearly 70% of Visa’s total and ahead of Mastercard’s.
- Adoption is still early: only 4% of merchants currently accept stablecoins, but companies like Stripe and Solana Pay are working to change that.
Final Take
Stablecoins are no longer just crypto infrastructure — they’re becoming a competitive alternative to traditional card networks.
If current trends continue, blockchain-native settlement rails could soon leapfrog legacy systems.
Visa, take note: your biggest competitor might not be another fintech — it’s code.
