Stablecoins: The Silent Bridge That Will Redefine Global Finance

1. The turning point has arrived

In 2024, stablecoins processed over $27 trillion in transaction volume (1). While much of this corresponds to trading activity, the specific volume of payments exceeds $5.7 trillion, a figure that continues to grow exponentially (2). By mid-2025, the market capitalization of these digital assets surpassed $308 billion (3), with an adjusted monthly volume approaching $1.25 trillion (4). In the past year, stablecoins processed $46 trillion in total transaction volume - nearly three times the volume of Visa and approaching that of the ACH network that connects the entire US banking system. On an adjusted basis, the volume reached $9 trillion, up 87% from the previous year (4). These are not figures from a fringe technological experiment: they represent the financial infrastructure of the future that is already operating in the present.

As leaders of organizations that drive the global economy, the question is not whether stablecoins will transform finance, but whether we will be prepared to capitalize on that transformation or whether we will be disrupted by it.

2. What are stablecoins and why do they matter now?

Stablecoins are digital assets designed to maintain a stable value by pegging them to reserve assets such as fiat currencies or government bonds. USDT and USDC, issued by Tether and Circle respectively, both global partners of NTT DATA, dominate the market, representing over 90% of the total stablecoin volume. Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, stablecoins combine the stability of traditional money with the speed, transparency, and programmability of blockchain technology.

What has changed radically in 2025 is the regulatory framework. The passage of the GENIUS Act in the United States established the first federal framework for stablecoins, classifying them outside the purview of the SEC and CFTC and placing them under banking supervision with 1:1 reserve requirements and monthly audits. The MiCA regulation in Europe came into full effect, and jurisdictions from Singapore to Hong Kong have finalized similar regulatory frameworks. The legal uncertainty that kept many institutions on the sidelines has been largely resolved.

3. The business case: faster, cheaper, more transparent

4. Beyond payments: the DeFi ecosystem as a new financial infrastructure

5. The generational urgency: your next customers are already here

South Asia emerged as the fastest-growing region for crypto adoption between January and July 2025, with an 80% increase compared to the same period in 2024, reaching approximately $300 billion in transaction volume (10). India leads global adoption, driven by a young population with a growing interest in digital assets and a tech-savvy middle class. Pakistan and Bangladesh are among the top 20 countries in adoption.

Latin America solidified its position as the second fastest-growing region globally, with a year-over-year increase of 42.5%. Brazil dominates the region with $318.8 billion in crypto value received, representing almost a third of all crypto activity in Latin America. Argentina ranks second regionally with $93.9 billion in transaction volume, followed by Mexico ($71.2 billion), Venezuela ($44.6 billion), and Colombia ($44.2 billion). Most revealing for the financial sector: USDT and USDC accounted for over 90% of exchange transfer volume in July 2025, a substantial increase from approximately 60% in 2022 (11). In Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil, stablecoin purchases represent more than half of all exchange purchases. The trifecta of persistent inflation, currency volatility, and capital controls is driving demand for stablecoins as a store of value and hedging tool. According to Fireblocks' "2025 State of Stablecoins" report, 71% of Latin American companies use stablecoins for cross-border payments, and 100% of the companies surveyed have launched, are testing, or are developing stablecoin strategies.

Chile stands out for its regulatory clarity with the 2024 Fintech Law, which established licenses for exchanges, wallets, and stablecoin issuers, legally recognizing these assets as "digital money." This legal clarity has allowed local and international platforms to expand their presence, attracting users and capital. Thanks to this regulatory framework, blockchain companies are exploring emerging sectors such as asset tokenization, facilitating, for example, access to real estate investments in Chile through blockchain. Tether made a strategic investment in Orionx, a Chilean exchange operating in Peru, Colombia, and Mexico, signaling institutional interest in the Andean market.

Peru is experiencing rapid growth in the crypto sector. During 2024, the number of users doubled, with local platforms registering record activity. The Central Bank deployed a CBDC pilot program targeting rural areas. Starting in June 2025, Peru requires all VASPs (Virtual Asset Service Providers) to register with the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) and comply with AML and KYC regulations. Community projects like Motiv are fostering Bitcoin-based circular economies in vulnerable areas, while universities and associations such as the Blockchain & DLT Association Peru (ABPE) promote education and adoption of these technologies.

Traditional banks like Itaú, Nubank, Mercado Pago, and Bancolombia already operate actively within the ecosystem. Bitso announced its expansion into Chile and Peru, reinforcing its role as a strategic partner for companies that manage local and cross-border payments.

The message is crystal clear: Latin America has ceased to be a testing ground for blockchain technology and the crypto economy and has become a driver of global adoption.

The new generations who will inherit the global economy - your customers, employees, and business partners - don't see stablecoins as experimental technology. They see them as the obvious way to move money. If your organization isn't building the capacity to serve these users, you're ceding ground to competitors who are.

6. The risks of inaction

The history of digital transformation teaches us that laggards don't simply lose market share: many disappear. Kodak invented the digital camera but failed to capitalize on it. Blockbuster had the opportunity to buy Netflix. BlackBerry and Nokia dominated mobile phones before the iPhone redefined the category.

Stablecoins are not a theoretical future threat. They are processing trillions of dollars today. Swift, the international payments messaging network that has been the backbone of the financial system for decades, began trials with digital currencies in October 2025, implicitly acknowledging that the current infrastructure is insufficient and inefficient.

The margins of traditional financial intermediaries are being squeezed. When a digital dollar can move directly between wallets from Lima to Madrid, the exchange rate spread, the swap fee, and the compliance gatekeeping that sustained traditional business models are dramatically compressed.

7. The time to act is now.

The window of opportunity to establish a competitive advantage in digital financial infrastructure is closing. Institutions building capabilities today will be positioned to serve a stablecoin market that bullish projections place at $4 trillion in issuance by 2030 (12).

Stablecoins won't replace cash or traditional bank transfers overnight. But they will make everything work better together, creating a more resilient, flexible, and cost-efficient global financial system.

The question for every business leader is clear: Is their organization building the financial future or being disrupted by it?

At NTT DATA we understand that the adoption of stablecoins and blockchain technology is not simply an IT project: it is a business model transformation that requires strategic alignment, risk assessment and capability development throughout the entire organization. To that end, we are helping our financial and non-financial clients improve their remittance processes, cross-border payments, and integrated reconciliations, using crypto rails with stablecoins and deploying crypto asset custody capabilities.