William Blair Says Stablecoins Will Reshape Cross-Border Payments

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FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 15, 2025 — Investment bank William Blair believes stablecoin cross-border payments could transform how value moves globally, challenging long-established systems like SWIFT and traditional banking networks. In its latest report, the firm said that blockchain-based stablecoins are evolving into faster, cheaper, and more transparent alternatives for global settlements. The findings suggest these digital assets could soon change the structure of international money transfers.

At present, sending funds across borders remains both slow and expensive. Many transfers pass through several intermediary banks, each deducting a fee and creating additional delays. Because of this layered process, settlement often takes days. In contrast, stablecoins enable near-instant transfers with minimal cost and no restrictions tied to time zones. This difference is already drawing attention from both fintech firms and financial regulators.

“The efficiency gains are visible now,” said Michael Spencer, a fintech strategist at William Blair. “What began as a small experiment has become an active framework for real-time, low-cost payments.” He explained that large fintech platforms, stablecoin issuers, and even central banks are testing blockchain rails to speed up settlements and improve access to liquidity.

According to the report, the total value of stablecoins in circulation has surpassed $160 billion, with USDT, USDC, and DAI leading the market. Adoption continues to rise in emerging regions, where local currencies face instability and banking infrastructure remains limited. Transaction volumes are approaching those of conventional payment processors, marking a significant shift in how digital money moves.

Stablecoins Will Disrupt Cross-Border Payments, Investment Bank William Blair Says

Circle and #Coinbase are poised to benefit most, as stablecoins reshape global payments and challenge the dominance of traditional correspondent banks. #crypto

— CryptOpus (@ImCryptOpus) October 15, 2025

For migrant workers and small exporters, the benefits are immediate. Traditional remittance channels can charge up to 7% in fees for a single transaction, while a stablecoin transfer costs just fractions of a cent and completes within seconds. “Stablecoins may soon move money faster than traditional rails can lay track,” said a London-based analyst quoted by CoinDesk. He noted that the technology is already helping families and entrepreneurs in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia receive funds without relying on banks.

Several major payment networks are now experimenting with blockchain systems. RippleNet and Stellar have demonstrated cross-border remittances with near-instant settlement. Even SWIFT, the global financial messaging network, has launched pilots connecting its infrastructure with blockchain environments. In one trial last year, transactions cleared in under ten seconds. These results reinforce the possibility that stablecoin cross-border payments could complement existing systems rather than replace them entirely.

William Blair’s report added that institutional players stand to benefit too. Multinational corporations could use tokenized stablecoins for supplier payments, reducing the need to pre-fund overseas accounts. The firm estimated that if only 10% of global cross-border payment volume, valued at roughly $150 trillion annually, moved onto blockchain rails, banks could lose billions in fee revenue each year.

However, the pace of adoption will depend on regulation. William Blair warned that transparency, cybersecurity, and reserve management must reach traditional banking standards before mass adoption. Policymakers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore are developing frameworks that may treat stablecoins as regulated settlement instruments. Once those standards are finalized, global financial institutions are expected to scale participation quickly, according to CoinDesk, which reports growing regulatory alignment across major economies.

Meanwhile, the private sector is moving forward. Visa has expanded its USDC-based settlement network, PayPal introduced PYUSD for on-chain payments, and multiple banks are piloting tokenized deposits. As blockchain quietly integrates into fintech infrastructure, users may not realize they are transacting with crypto-based systems at all. What will matter most is the experience: instant, affordable, and borderless money movement, similar to how platforms highlighted on Financyze’s Best Crypto Platforms of 2025 are shaping global digital finance.

Recap:

• William Blair predicts stablecoins will reshape international payments.
• Blockchain rails cut costs and speed up settlements.
• Governments are finalizing frameworks for regulated adoption.
• Stablecoins may soon power the world’s digital financial infrastructure.