Bloomberg: Stablecoin Payment Flows to Hit $56T by 2030

Bloomberg Intelligence projects stablecoin payment flows will reach $56 trillion by 2030, an 81% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) driven by the integration of digital dollars into traditional merchant networks. The forecast follows a record-breaking 2025, where total stablecoin transaction volume hit $33 trillion, rivaling Visa’s global settlement figures.

The Velocity Divergence: USDC vs. USDT

The data, compiled by Artemis Analytics, reveals a critical decoupling between market capitalization and transaction velocity. While Tether (USDT) retains its crown as the largest stablecoin by market cap ($187 billion), Circle’s USDC has flipped it in utility.

• USDC: Processed $18.3 trillion in 2025 volume, dominated by high-frequency DeFi settlement and institutional flows.
• USDT: Processed $13.3 trillion, solidifying its role as a store of value and offshore dollar substitute rather than a transactional rail.

Anthony Yim, co-founder of Artemis, noted that USDC’s dominance in transaction volume stems from its integration into decentralized finance (DeFi), where the same dollar is turned over multiple times daily. In contrast, USDT velocity is lower, as holders in inflation-hit economies like Argentina and Turkey prioritize preservation over circulation.

Payment Flows vs. Trading Volume

Bloomberg’s $56 trillion projection specifically targets payment flows, transactions for goods, services, and remittances, distinct from the trading-heavy transaction volumes often cited in crypto headlines. In 2025, pure payment flows stood at just $2.9 trillion. The projected leap to $56 trillion relies on the enforcement of the "Genius Act," signed in July 2025, which established federal guardrails for stablecoin issuers and authorized banks to custody digital cash.

The projection positions stablecoins not just as crypto rails, but as foundational infrastructure for global finance, capable of capturing 12% of global cross-border payments by 2030.

Legacy institutions are already mobilizing to capture this yield. Standard Chartered and Walmart have reportedly accelerated their own stablecoin pilots following the legislative clarity, aiming to bypass credit card interchange fees that currently cost U.S. merchants over $100 billion annually.