Stablecoins: The Future of Financial Infrastructure

Stablecoins are rapidly becoming a dominant force in the global financial infrastructure, surpassing traditional payment systems with projected volumes reaching trillions. As institutions, governments, and enterprises increasingly adopt stablecoins for real-world applications, the crypto industry is experiencing what some call the fastest modernization of financial infrastructure in history.
Reece Merrick, Ripple s Senior Executive Officer for the Middle East and Africa, recently highlighted the accelerating adoption and usage of stablecoins across global markets. He noted that
by 2025, stablecoin volume has become one of the most widely cited metrics in the crypto industry, primarily because it has surpassed traditional payment processors in terms of raw settlement value.
Merrick projected that
volume is projected to hit approx. 28 30 trillion by the end of the year 50-60 up YoY ,
emphasizing the rapid expansion of stablecoins beyond crypto trading into systems processing payment volumes comparable to legacy financial rails.
Usage patterns have shifted significantly, with stablecoins now accounting for roughly 30 of all on-chain transaction activity up from 20-25 in previous years . Daily active users have surpassed 10 million addresses transacting with stablecoins daily. This shift indicates that stablecoins are becoming a dominant mechanism for cross-border transfers, institutional trading, and liquidity management.
Merrick pointed out that adoption is broadening beyond crypto-native participants. He stated,
With institutions starting to dip their toes. Retail payments going live and governments starting to regulate, it s crazy to think about where this trajectory lands us in a few years time.
He concluded by framing the long-term significance of this trend:
We are witnessing the fastest modernization of financial infrastructure in history.
As regulatory clarity improves through frameworks like the U.S. GENIUS Act and the European Union s MiCA regime, stablecoins are increasingly seen as connective infrastructure for global finance. Market forecasts suggest their capitalization could double or triple over the coming years, potentially reaching several trillion dollars by the end of the decade due to their stability, efficiency, and growing integration into mainstream treasury and payment systems.