Sixteen years after Bitcoin’s launch, stablecoins are emerging as the key force in crypto’s mainstream adoption, particularly for payments and financial operations, said Coinbase in a research report on June 10.

It noted that there was a soaring interest from companies, with 81% of crypto-aware small and medium businesses (SMBs) expressing interest in using stablecoins.

Additionally, Fortune 500 companies showing stablecoin interest have tripled compared to 2024, and 82% of SMBs said crypto can solve at least one major financial challenge.

The Q2 2025 State of Crypto report just dropped.

TL;DR: The world loves stablecoins. pic.twitter.com/agOZ8naqoF

Stablecoins: The Future of Finance

The firm also reported that organic stablecoin transfer volume has reached unprecedented levels, with the two highest monthly volume transfers in history over the past year in December and April.

The stats dont stop there.

There are more than 160 million stablecoin holders worldwide, and global stablecoin supply grew 54% year-over-year. Additionally, stablecoin transfer volume in 2024 hit $27.6 trillion, surpassing Visa and Mastercard combined.

“Regulatory clarity is the unlock for crypto’s next chapter,” the report noted, citing the GENIUS Act and other bills that are making their way through US Congress.

“An overwhelming 9 in 10 Fortune 500 executives agree that clear, consistent US regulation around crypto, blockchain, and onchain technologies is essential to support ongoing innovation. “

The United States is not the only nation pushing for stablecoin regulation. This week, the newly elected president of South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, made good on his campaign pledge by proposing the Digital Asset Basic Act.

The legislation allows local companies to issue stablecoins with a minimum equity capital of 500 million KRW ($US368,000), and they need to guarantee refunds through reserves and get regulatory approval.

However, the wheels are turning much more slowly in Europe, where the European Central Bank wants its own central bank digital currency (CBDC) and regional governments want to maintain their tight grip on monetary flows.

Stablecoin Ecosystem Outlook

The current stablecoin ecosystem is dominated by just two players, Tether and Circle.

Tether has a 61% stablecoin market share with $155 billion in circulation. USDT supply has surged around 38% over the past 12 months to an all-time high on June 10.

Circle’s USDC has also surged with a circulation of $61 billion, giving it a market share of 24%. The two companies produce 85% of the stablecoins in the market at the moment.

Maker’s USDS, formerly DAI, is the third-largest with $7.2 billion and the only true high-cap decentralized stablecoin.