Stablecoins Capture 2.3% of Global Payment Flows as Crypto Settlement Gains Traction
Stablecoins have processed approximately $46 trillion in transactions over the past year, accounting for 2.3% of global payment flows when measured against a $2 quadrillion benchmark. The figure positions on-chain dollar settlements as a nascent but meaningful participant in cross-border transfers and 24/7 treasury operations—now rivaling traditional rails in niche use cases.
A16z's crypto report reveals broader crypto trading volumes exceeded $80 trillion during the same period. While stablecoins remain dwarfed by Fedwire's $1.133 quadrillion annual throughput, their growth signals accelerating institutional adoption of blockchain-based settlement. The data reframes debates about crypto's utility beyond speculation.