Taiwan Explores Local Stablecoin to Streamline Cross-Border Trade
Taiwan is considering the development of a local stablecoin to reduce cross-border trade costs, as discussed at a recent forum hosted by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). The event brought together regulators and industry leaders to explore how digital currencies could lower payment fees for Taiwanese businesses, which currently face charges as high as 5% due to hidden wire fees and intermediary bank costs.
A USD-pegged stablecoin could bypass restrictions on the offshore circulation of the New Taiwan Dollar (NTD), while an NTD-linked token WOULD integrate more seamlessly with the domestic payment ecosystem. Alex Liu, CEO of MaiCoin, highlighted the potential of a local stablecoin to drive Taiwan's economic growth, emphasizing its functional role in efficiency and risk management rather than speculation.
Recent currency fluctuations tied to U.S. tariff announcements underscore the growing exposure of Taiwanese exporters to exchange rate risks, further bolstering the case for a stablecoin solution.