Conventional Finance Adapts to Stablecoins
Stablecoins are winning over the institutional finance market. They have now found their place between conventional and decentralized finance.
Backed by fiat currencies, they offer the exchange rate stability that traditional cryptocurrencies lack while inheriting the speed and programmability inherent in blockchain. These two advantages make them a strategic lever for modernizing payment infrastructures.
The growing adoption by banks and accelerating on a massive scale marks a big change in the global financial system. Far from being confined within the crypto ecosystem, stablecoins are now establishing themselves as a cornerstone of the new monetary architecture.
This is particularly true in international transactions where speed, lower costs and 24/7 accessibility have become the expected standards.
Banks flock to stablecoins: the end of a defensive posture
After being cautious and openly skeptical, banking institutions have changed course in the face of the rise of stablecoins. According to a Fireblocks study published in May 2025, 90% of financial institutions are already using or testing the integration of these assets into their payment flows.
This strategic shift is being driven by a desire to avoid technological obsolescence and by pressure from fintech and new crypto entrants. Banks understand that payment efficiency — cited by 48% of respondents — is now a key criterion in a world where B2B transactions are turning global.
The use of stablecoins for cross-border payments — already adopted by 58% of institutions — represents a concrete response to these challenges, especially as the infrastructures needed for this are already widely available.
The Fireblocks study reveals that 86% of institutions, such as banks, payment platforms, and fintechs, believe that their infrastructure is ready to scale up. This technical maturity, combined with increasingly powerful compliance tools (e.g., regtech and blockchain analytics) is helping to remove the traditional regulatory hurdles. A crypto heatmap could help stakeholders track where this institutional readiness is most concentrated and where adoption gaps still exist.
Regulatory clarity, particularly in Europe with the MiCA framework, is giving new impetus to adoption. Across the world, we are seeing a distinct but converging dynamic:
- Latin America: Use stablecoins systematically in international payments
- Asia: Underpins the growth of B2B commerce
- North America: Optimism reigns despite a still modest adoption rate
In all cases, institutions that invest now in robust solutions, including digital wallets, automation, and compliance. They are the ones that will dominate tomorrow’s finances.
Strategic convergence in the face of the rise of Bitcoin
The rapid adoption of stablecoins is also partly due to the renewed interest in traditional cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin.
As the Bitcoin price strengthens its position as a digital reserve asset supported by the entry of large institutional investors, stablecoins are positioning themselves as a complement to banks’ strategies. Moreover, the more legitimacy Bitcoin gains, the more financial institutions are inclined to explore the crypto ecosystem as a whole, starting with the most bankable assets that stablecoins are.
Indeed, Bitcoin’s rise catalyses the adoption of stablecoins, creating a bridge between traditional finance and blockchains. Banks embracing these two dynamics will be better positioned to reinvent international payments and maintain their competitiveness.
