Uber Plots Stablecoin Adoption to Slash $2B+ in Cross-Border Fees

Uber's CEO drops a bombshell: The rideshare giant is exploring stablecoins to bypass traditional payment rails—and their outrageous fees.

Global transfer costs? More like global profit drains. With over $2 billion in annual payment processing expenses, Uber's flirting with crypto to keep more cash in its coffers. No more begging banks for reasonable FX rates.

This isn't just about cutting costs—it's corporate rebellion. Why pay SWIFT when you can stream USDC? Though let's be real: If they actually pull this off, Wall Street middlemen will suddenly 'discover' blockchain's virtues.

• Uber is currently studying stablecoins to improve the speed and reduce the cost of cross-border money transfers.
• CEO Dara Khosrowshahi confirmed the company’s interest in stablecoins during the Bloomberg Tech Summit in San Francisco.
• Uber views stablecoins as more practical than Bitcoin due to their price stability and real-world payment utility.

Uber is studying the use of stablecoins to improve cross-border money transfers. The company aims to reduce transaction costs and improve speed. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi confirmed the initiative during the Bloomberg Tech Summit in San Francisco.

Stablecoins Gain Momentum as Global Firms Seek Efficiency

Uber has identified stablecoins as a more practical alternative to traditional cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Stablecoins are fiat currencies or assets that are always meant to maintain a fixed value. As Uber operates in multiple countries, faster and cheaper transfers offer a major operational benefit.

Khosrowshahi asserted that stablecoins have practical applications other than storing value. Their use could also help large businesses smooth global transactions. This marks a shift in Uber’s crypto strategy, as it prioritizes usability over speculative value.

This isn’t the only firm that has taken to integrating stablecoins for similar purposes; we are witnessing other firms integrate these coins for similar purposes, too. For example, Stripe released a new AI solution with stablecoins in an effort to facilitate international transactions. These tools empower smooth and cheap transfers to businesses anywhere in the world.

Uber Prefers Stablecoins Over Bitcoin for Global Operations

While Bitcoin remains a widely recognized crypto asset, Uber has opted for stablecoins due to lower volatility and faster transaction speeds. Further, Khosrowshahi stressed that the company will not use Bitcoin as part of its treasury. Payed coin said he believes there is a clearer advantage for stablecoins in payment-related use cases.

Uber previously showed interest in cryptocurrencies but paused implementation due to high fees and environmental concerns. Global firms prefer stablecoins because they involve less energy consumption and better scalability. As a result, Uber sees a clearer path forward with these tokens.

Until then, any attempts at transactional use of bitcoin are accompanied by the challenges of its value volatility, while stablecoins offer a far more predictable picture. However, stablecoins, as with all paper assets, are not necessarily as easy to transfer internationally as digital currencies. For this reason, global firms are both more likely and potentially more effective at taking up stablecoins when facilitating payments with other countries. However, as infrastructure improves and regulatory frameworks become clearer, this trend might speed up.

Regulatory Concerns Loom Despite Growing Use of Stablecoins

There is no finalized framework for regulating stablecoins in the U.S. that manufacturers can rely on. Congress has introduced the STABLE Act and the GENIUS Act, but their fate is unknown. President Donald TRUMP recently called for clear guidelines to govern the activity of stablecoins.

However, use of stablecoins, as others call such tokens, has been growing, and critics such as Bitcoin advocate Peter Schiff have raised concerns. Given the still ongoing legal ambiguity, he questioned their reliability. However, increasing interest in stablecoins has been recorded at different corporate levels across many sectors.

Stablecoin-based solutions are rising in global demand for fast, low-cost financial tools. Their long-term success may depend on the regulatory clarity.