Banks and payment giants are accelerating efforts to integrate stablecoins into international settlement systems, promising faster, cheaper, and more transparent cross-border transactions amid regulatory and technical challenges.
Banks and global payment networks are increasingly exploring how to incorporate stablecoins into cross-border payment systems, mainly to improve liquidity management and cut down on the persistent inefficiencies that have long been part of traditional international settlements. Once, stablecoins were largely confined to private issuers, often criticized for limited transparency and weak regulation, but now they’re starting to mature into trusted digital tools embedded within the financial infrastructure we’re all familiar with.
Traditional cross-border payments, honestly, suffer from quite a few issues—multiple layers of correspondent banking fees, long settlement periods, exposure to foreign exchange risks, and the costly need to pre-fund nostro accounts. Stablecoins—tied to fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar—offer near-instant, atomic settlement on blockchain platforms and include features like programmable compliance and easier reconciliation. That’s pretty attractive, especially for corporate treasurers who want more efficiency when managing global liquidity. Recently, Coinbase’s CEO Brian Armstrong pointed out the enormous potential here—he estimates the total market for cross-border stablecoin payments could hit $40 trillion, with about 75% of that being business-to-business transactions.
Some of the biggest payment companies are the first movers testing stabilitycoin-based solutions. For instance, Visa launched a pilot project to let institutions pre-fund stablecoin balances via Visa Direct, making it possible for recipients to get fiat currency quickly. This kind of approach really shortens the float time—what you might call the delay—associated with conventional cross-border disbursements. It also shifts the perspective on stablecoins, viewing them more as tools for treasury liquidity rather than just speculative assets. Mastercard is working on similar initiatives too, aiming to integrate tokenized settlement into existing infrastructure, while ensuring these systems stay interoperable and meet regulatory standards. These pilots suggest that stablecoins aren’t here to replace traditional payment rails but rather to extend them.
Banks themselves are also on the move, actively developing their own issuance and settlement capabilities to better leverage stablecoins for smoother cross-border flows. For example, in Europe, a consortium of nine banks announced on September 25 that they launched a project to issue a euro-denominated stablecoin under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, aiming for it to become a trusted European payment standard with near-instant, low-cost, cross-border settlement. Meanwhile, collaborations like Circle working with Finastra aim to embed stablecoins like USDC directly into bank payment hubs, blending the efficiency of blockchain with legacy banking systems. French bank Societe Generale is jumping into this space too, planning to launch a dollar-backed stablecoin on Ethereum and Solana, which clearly shows that major institutions are increasingly committed to these digital assets.
That said, there are still hurdles—mainly around interoperability and liquidity fragmentation. Stablecoins can work across multiple blockchains, yes, but they require bridges to transfer value from one network to another. These bridges, well, they introduce complexity and pose risks—liquidity issues, hidden costs, and security vulnerabilities. We’ve seen bridge hacks cause significant losses in crypto, which highlights these risks. Going forward, banks and payment providers have a chance to address these problems by developing standardised cross-chain settlement services and carefully curated liquidity pools, which could help tidy up this fragmented scene.
Regulatory clarity is absolutely crucial if these technologies are to gain wider institutional adoption. In the UK, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has called for stablecoins that are widely used to be regulated similarly to traditional banks—think depositor protections and access to central bank reserves. It’s a sign that the consensus is shifting toward requiring stablecoins to function within solid regulatory frameworks, which would, of course, boost stability and user confidence. Over in the United States, recent legislation like the Genius Act has brought clearer rules for stablecoin issuers—something that’s encouraging more institutional interest and initiatives like Visa’s pilot program.
On the international front, stablecoins are also playing a role in strategic economic policies. China’s launch of the regulated offshore yuan-stablecoin in Kazakhstan, called AxCNH, aims to bolster cross-border trade and challenge the U.S. dollar’s global dominance. This fits into China’s broader plans around digital currency and initiatives like Belt and Road—using stablecoins as tools for financial diplomacy and international commerce. Big financial players like UBS are also experimenting with private blockchain payment systems that use digital cash tokens to improve cross-border liquidity management and speed up settlement—without exposing transactions to the risks of public blockchain networks.
Looking to the future, many experts foresee stablecoins shaping a sort of “network of networks” for global B2B payments. They could enable tokenized assets, on-chain foreign exchange trades, and sophisticated liquidity management tools. Pretty different from overhauling everything overnight, stablecoins are expected to quietly become part of the background infrastructure—driving efficiency, optimizing capital, and supporting new innovations over the next three to five years. Of course, reaching this full potential still depends on solving regulatory uncertainties, operational risks, and the technical challenge of seamlessly bridging different blockchain environments.
All in all, the progress made by banks and payment networks to embed stablecoins into cross-border payment systems really marks a significant turning point. From being speculative tokens to becoming crucial infrastructure components, stablecoins promise (or at least aim to deliver) near-instant, low-cost, compliant international settlements that minimize capital lock-up. For those involved in shaping the future of financial infrastructure, this shift presents both a huge opportunity and a big responsibility—making sure that the evolution benefits all, securely and efficiently.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Verification / Sources
- https://www.pymnts.com/cryptocurrency/2025/stablecoins-reshape-cross-border-payments-banks-networks-step-in/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
- https://www.reuters.com/technology/visa-bets-stablecoins-speed-up-cross-border-payments-2025-09-30/ - Visa has announced a pilot program to test the use of stablecoins for international payments, allowing businesses to pre-fund transactions with digital tokens instead of traditional currencies. This initiative aims to accelerate cross-border payments and reduce the need for companies to lock up cash in multiple currencies worldwide. The decision follows the passage of the Genius Act in the U.S., which established clear regulations for stablecoin issuers and has increased institutional confidence in digital tokens. Visa is partnering with undisclosed entities and plans to expand the program next year. While stablecoins raise concerns about competition for traditional financial institutions, Visa’s approach emphasizes integrating stablecoin technology into its existing payment systems rather than replacing them. Experts suggest this marks a shift in stablecoins from a niche crypto tool to critical financial infrastructure.
- https://www.reuters.com/markets/emerging/chinas-yuan-stablecoin-debut-kazakhstan-signals-blockchain-ambition-2025-09-29/ - China has launched the world’s first regulated offshore yuan-linked stablecoin, AxCNH, in Kazakhstan, a move aimed at leveraging blockchain technology to advance cross-border trade and challenge the dominance of the U.S. dollar in the crypto space. Developed by fintech firm AnchorX using technology from Conflux, a Chinese government-backed blockchain network, AxCNH debuted on September 17, 2025, following approval from Kazakh regulators. This initiative aligns with China’s broader push to internationalize the yuan, supplementing efforts like the central bank digital yuan. Yang Guang, CTO of Conflux, sees this as a strategic entry into blockchain-based global finance and a potential catalyst for change in cross-border payment systems. While stablecoins are generally pegged to fiat currencies and enable efficient digital transactions, China’s step into offshore yuan-linked stablecoins also advances its Belt and Road Initiative by offering new financial tools for participating countries. Despite banning cryptocurrency trading domestically, China is cautiously exploring blockchain’s potential internationally, indicating a positive yet measured regulatory approach moving forward.
- https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/widely-used-stablecoins-need-be-regulated-like-money-boes-bailey-says-2025-10-01/ - Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey stated that stablecoins widely used for payments in the UK should be regulated similarly to traditional banks. This includes implementing depositor protections and granting access to BoE reserve facilities. While Bailey has historically been skeptical of cryptocurrencies, he clarified in a Financial Times article that he is not opposed to stablecoins in principle. However, he pointed out that their current primary function—facilitating entry and exit from cryptocurrency markets—does not qualify them as money-like payment methods. The BoE plans to release a consultation paper in the coming months outlining its regulatory approach, including the proposal for UK stablecoins to have accounts at the BoE to reinforce their credibility and monetary status.
- https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/societe-generale-launch-dollar-pegged-stablecoin-2025-06-10/ - Societe Generale, a major French bank, will introduce a dollar-backed stablecoin named 'USD CoinVertible' through its crypto subsidiary SG-FORGE, marking the first time a major European lender launches such a cryptocurrency. Scheduled for public trading starting July, the stablecoin will operate on Ethereum and Solana blockchains, with BNY Mellon acting as the custodian for its reserves. This follows SG-FORGE's earlier launch of a euro-denominated stablecoin in 2023, which has seen limited adoption with only €41.8 million in circulation. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies pegged to traditional currencies like the dollar, enabling seamless large-scale money transfers without traditional banking systems. SG-FORGE aims to use USD CoinVertible for various applications, including crypto trading, cross-border payments, foreign exchange, and collateral management. The token will also be listed on multiple crypto exchanges. This move positions Societe Generale as a pioneering European institution in the rapidly growing stablecoin sector, currently dominated by companies like Tether, which has issued $155 billion worth of dollar-pegged tokens.
- https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/ubs-pilots-blockchain-based-payment-system-2024-11-07/ - UBS has successfully piloted a blockchain-based payment system called UBS Digital Cash, aimed at enhancing the efficiency of cross-border transactions. The pilot saw transactions conducted with multinational clients and banks, involving domestic operations in Switzerland and cross-border payments in currencies such as U.S. dollars, Swiss francs, euros, and Chinese yuan. Andy Kollegger, head of UBS Institutional & Multinational Banking, emphasized the strategic importance of blockchain solutions for cross-border payments. The system, utilizing a private blockchain network accessible only to permissioned clients, enables automatic payment settlements via smart contracts. UBS plans to expand and develop UBS Digital Cash further to help firms manage and adjust intraday liquidity and maintain higher visibility of their cash positions.
- https://www.pymnts.com/cryptocurrency/2025/stablecoins-target-network-effect-across-global-b2b-payments - Stablecoins are gaining traction as a faster, more efficient settlement layer in complex cross-border flows, reducing friction, speeding liquidity access and easing working capital constraints for businesses like marketplaces and travel agencies. The real opportunity lies in embedding stablecoins into treasury strategies and capital markets, enabling tokenized assets, on-chain FX and liquidity management, rather than replacing legacy rails outright. Regulatory ambiguity, compliance risks and infrastructure readiness remain hurdles, but over the next three to five years, stablecoins are expected to integrate into a network of networks, powering settlements behind the scenes.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We've since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score: 9
Notes: The narrative presents recent developments in the integration of stablecoins into cross-border payment systems, with specific references to events from late September and early October 2025. The earliest known publication date of similar content is September 30, 2025, with Visa's announcement of a pilot program to test the use of stablecoins for international payments. (reuters.com) The report appears to be based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The narrative includes updated data and recent developments, justifying a higher freshness score. No recycled content from low-quality sites or clickbait networks was found. No earlier versions with different figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score: 8
Notes: The narrative includes direct quotes from Visa's CEO Brian Armstrong, stating that cross-border stablecoin payments are likely a $40 trillion opportunity, with the B2B market comprising 75% of that. A search for the earliest known usage of this quote indicates that it was first reported on July 2025. The identical quote appears in earlier material, suggesting potential reuse. The wording of the quote matches previous reports, with no variations identified. No online matches were found for other quotes, raising the score but flagging them as potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score: 7
Notes: The narrative originates from PYMNTS, a reputable organisation known for its coverage of financial technology and payments. This is a strength, as PYMNTS is a recognised source in the industry. However, the report includes a direct quote from Visa's CEO Brian Armstrong, which is not independently verified within the narrative. The lack of direct verification of this quote within the report introduces some uncertainty.
Plausability check
Score: 9
Notes: The narrative presents plausible claims about the integration of stablecoins into cross-border payment systems, supported by recent developments and statements from industry leaders. The claims are consistent with other reputable sources, such as Visa's announcement of a pilot program to test the use of stablecoins for international payments. (reuters.com) The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic, with no inconsistencies noted. The structure is focused and relevant, with no excessive or off-topic detail. The tone is professional and resembles typical corporate language.
Overall assessment
Veredict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary: The narrative presents recent developments in the integration of stablecoins into cross-border payment systems, with specific references to events from late September and early October 2025. The content is largely original, with some quotes reused from earlier reports. The source, PYMNTS, is reputable, and the claims made are plausible and supported by other reputable sources. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic, and the structure is focused and relevant. No significant issues were identified, leading to a 'PASS' verdict with high confidence.