Five years ago, Spacex Starlink, who has since grown up to the largest revenue driver, has expanded to more than 100 countries. But with Starlink, a big obstacle has been bound: acceptance of payments in developing markets, where traditional banking infrastructure is unreliable, slow and subject to prohibitions of transactions. Many local banks are struggling all over Africa, Latin America and Asia with international payments, forcing Spacex to search for alternatives.
To bypass these challenges, Spacex It turned into stablecoinsA fast -growing method of cross -border payments is already widely used in emerging markets. Company Partnership with the bridgeStablecoin payment platform, to accept payments in various currencies and immediately convert them into Stablecoins for her global treasury. This step has put a bridge as an applicable alternative to correspondence banks in the markets where traditional financial systems are limited. Soon after, Take the tapeObtaining the start of more than one billion dollars, consolidating the Bidge’s reputation, raising his evaluation as an infrastructure player, and resolving inconvenience in global financing.
Stablecoins – Now a Market 205 billion dollars-Paid the tools of the real world, not speculation, especially in emerging markets where the most persuasive cases of use are revealed. Usually the border payments in these areas are slow and expensive, and include multiple mediators. For example, the manufacturer of textiles in Brazil, which pays a resource in Nigeria, may have to pass many banks and exchange currencies, each of which adds fees and delays. Stablecoins removes this friction, allowing the cheapest transactions close to the fixed.
Increased interest in adoption and the benefits of the investor
This increased demand has led to significant growth in the volume of transactions for startups that provide cross -border solutions at Stablecoin for companies in Africa and emerging markets.
The Yellow Card card, which provides a platform that allows users to convert FIAT to Crypto and return to FIAT, has doubled the annual transactions volume to $ 3 billion in 2024 from $ 1.5 billion in 2023. channelWhich allows Stablecoin payments to import and export companies in Africa and Latin America, witnessed the annual TPV jump to 10 billion dollars from $ 5 billion. Lagos -based Jukeyway, which facilitates the cross -border payments using Stablecoins, has processed $ 1.3 billion of the total payment volume so far.
The interest of the investor has also increased, as the Fintechs companies that target these markets target these markets. PEAK XV and Hongshan, companies that are separated from Sequoia, participated in a $ 10 million seed tour in Kast, which is a new bank that allows users to hold and spend Stablecoins. Sikoya himself was a Main supporter From the bridge. A yellow card collected $ 33 million, led by Blockchain Capital. The channel, which raised a seed tour of $ 6 million last year, ends another round. Meanwhile, QED investors have led $ 9.9 million in Cedar Money, Fintech Stealthy using Stablecoins for border transactions. The preparation of a $ 8.5 million tour of Caliza led, which brings actual time to Latin America using USDC. Tether has invested a big check in Stableco Infra and the African liquidity provider, and she learned of Techcrunch.
This trend is clear: Stablecoins is no longer an encryption experience – it has become an essential part of the financial infrastructure in emerging markets to move money worldwide. With adoption acceleration, the question is not whether stablecoins will turn the payments, but how quickly they stand by – or even replacement – financial systems.
Some numbers reflect this shift. According to A16Z, sending $ 200 from the United States to Colombia via Stablecoins is less than $ 0.01, compared to $ 12.13 using traditional methods. Payment platforms adapt, making a reduction, albeit smaller than traditional intermediaries. Stripe, for example, now receives 1.5 % for Stablecoin transactions, 30 % less than standard cards. Companies and individuals also use Stablecoins as a hedge against inflation and a more stable store, as USDT and USDC have become critical tools.
Applications outside the border across the border and transfers
While payments and transfers across the border have prompted early adoption, Stablecoins is now gaining strength in consumer financing, salary statements, partial, retail transactions.
In January, the Brazilian Unicorn Nubank Provide a USDC bonus feature With a 4 % annual return, a ten -fold increase in customer USDC last year. Now, 30 % of Nubank users have USDC in their wallets. NUBANK joins Fintech giants such as Venmo, Apple Pay, Paypal, Cash App and Droclut, which already allows stablecoin transactions within the app.
Beyond consumer savings, Stablecoins reinstovens global salaries. With remote work expansion, startups such as RISE allowing companies to pay contractors to use Stablecoins. The platform allows companies to pay in FIAT while contractors receive Stablecoins such as USDC or USDT, and avoid currency fluctuations. Last November, the rise A collection of 6.3 million dollars in the series A.Nourish the expansion of powered salary lists.
“The market is heading to where we build, and it represents only a matter of time until the big players enter the arena. Hugo Finkelstein, CEO of RISE, told Techcrunch, they will provide Stablecoins through a partnership or obtaining an infrastructure for encrypted, obtained, or built. .
While the retail sale of Stablecoins was slower, but startups are like cashnote.io They are test solutions. The platform, developed by Korea Korea Credit and Web3 VC Hashed, allows traders to accept credit cards and digital asset payments through the points of sale. Traders can handle payments using Stablecoins without restrictions of credit card boundaries and consumers can use digital assets for daily purchases.
Both companies test the platform in the Abu Dhabi International Market (ADGM), which is one of the most friendly regulatory environments in the world. Cashnote.io is expected to advance with merchants in the region in the coming months, where the Infra Infra Fuze provider, who is based on the United Arab Emirates as a settlement partner. Foil A seed collected $ 14 million In 2023.
However, despite the capabilities of Stablecoins to simplify the world’s payments, fears remain. On the one hand, critics warn that Stablecoins may disrupt monetary policy. Since it has become more common in global financing, some people are concerned that they may reflect the previous concerns about the dollar, as economies are highly dependent on the US dollar instead of building independent financial systems.
Likewise, its efficiency comes with the bares. Unlike government -backed currencies, they depend on private companies such as Circle and Tether to maintain their value. These companies use cash reserves, short -term securities and other financial assets to keep Stablecoins studded in US dollars. However, the Terrausd 2022 collapse explains how stablecoins can be weak.
Organizational transformations can be made or adopted
Governments and organizers all over the world receive attention, and their actions will affect Stablecoin. For example, some areas such as Abu Dhabi’s Adgm have developed themselves as encryption areas, allowing Fintech companies to experience Stablecoin payments. Simon Kim, CEO of Hashed, says that Cashnote.io can only work in the region because of the organized and supportive legal framework in the region.
Kim told Techcrunch: “There is hardly no government like Abu Dhabi that speeds innovation from new competitors abroad like this.” “It has many sand boxes and government support systems to test the innovative and innovative infrastructure.”
Likewise, the United Arab Emirates The headlines are published last year When the court ruling allowed salaries to be paid, it enhances the country’s position as a global center to innovate digital assets.
Africa offers a different offer. In many cases, innovation moves faster than the organization, forcing policy makers to interact only after Findte proves its value-just as they did with mobile funds, according to Zekarias Amsalu, co-founder of one of the best Fintech events in Africa. He believes that the organizers, instead of being carefully carefully, should adopt Stablecoins because they already help reduce transportation costs and transfers across borders by up to 75 %.
“If you are ready to give the official character Franco currency (The policy that allows the import of goods without using a foreign exchange from a bank) When the bites of the dollar crisis, in exchange for all the real risks, are why you do not think about the formal character of Stablecoins that are provided by the exchanges licensed with all transparency and compliance? “Amsalu Poss.
Whether their position is changing or not, it may depend on how to form regulations in the United States, which are considering new laws that will have a global impact on Stablecoins: a strict regulatory approach – although it is unlike On the two exporters. On the other hand, a supportive position of stability can encourage more countries to create clear licensing rules for digital assets. “These are very strong signals for investors,” said Finkelstein.
