- Visa Inc. reports that over 90% of stablecoin transactions are not from genuine users, indicating a long way to go for these crypto tokens before they become widely adopted as a payment method.
- Stablecoin transactions often face the issue of double-counting, depending on the platforms involved in fund transfers.
- Despite the challenges, the stablecoin market is predicted to grow to $2.8 trillion by 2028.
Visa Inc. reveals that the majority of stablecoin transactions are not from genuine users, highlighting the challenges and potential of this emerging sector in the crypto market.
Stablecoin Transactions: A Closer Look
A new metric co-developed by Visa Inc. indicates that over 90% of stablecoin transaction volumes do not originate from authentic users. This suggests that these crypto tokens may still have a long way to go before becoming widely adopted as a means of payment. The dashboard developed by Visa and Allium Labs aims to filter out transactions initiated by bots and large-scale traders, focusing solely on those generated by genuine users. Out of a total of approximately $2.2 trillion in transactions recorded in April, only $149 billion were identified as originating from “organic payments activity,” according to Visa’s analysis.
The Double-Counting Dilemma
Stablecoin transactions often face the issue of double-counting, depending on the platforms involved in fund transfers. For instance, if a user converts $100 of Circle Internet Financial Ltd.’s USDC to PayPal’s PYUSD on Uniswap, a decentralized exchange, $200 of total stablecoin volume would be recorded on-chain, according to Cuy Sheffield, Visa’s head of crypto.
The Future of Stablecoins
Despite the challenges, the stablecoin market is poised for growth. Analysts at Bernstein predicted last year that the total value of all stablecoins in circulation could reach $2.8 trillion by 2028. Companies like Visa, which processed over $12 trillion worth of transactions in the previous year, stand to potentially lose if stablecoins gain widespread acceptance as a payment method.
Conclusion
While the majority of stablecoin transactions are currently not from genuine users, the potential for growth in this sector is significant. As the crypto market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how stablecoins develop and what role they will play in the future of digital payments.
