Stablecoins

Stablecoins are digital assets pegged to steady reserve assets like the U.S. dollar to provide blockchain-speed settlement without the volatility of traditional crypto.

Stablecoins have evolved into the primary plumbing of the digital economy, with the total market cap surpassing $321 billion in early 2026. Dominant fiat-backed assets like Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) account for over 90% of this value, facilitating more than $10 trillion in monthly transaction volume. By utilizing 1:1 reserves of liquid assets (such as U.S. Treasuries and cash), these tokens allow enterprises like Visa and Stripe to settle cross-border payments instantly. Recent regulatory milestones, including the U.S. GENIUS Act and Europe's MiCA framework, have shifted stablecoins from speculative trading tools into institutional-grade infrastructure for 24/7 global liquidity.

https://www.circle.com/en/stablecoins