The rise of Stablecoin-as-a-Service platforms is transforming digital payments and asset management, but concerns over liquidity, transparency, and systemic risks threaten to undermine this innovation’s potential.
The ever-evolving realm of Stablecoin-as-a-Service (SCaaS) is really changing the game, making it way easier for businesses and platforms to create their own stablecoins. Basically, it offers a streamlined process—so you don't need to build a complex system from scratch. This innovative approach allows for a lot of customization in how stablecoins are minted, burned, and managed, with flexible reserve mechanisms and fee structures too. That means businesses can craft stablecoins tailored specifically for particular products or target markets. For example, Stripe’s recent Open Issuance initiative is a prime example of this trend. It essentially enables companies to mint, burn, and oversee stablecoins via an interface that's pretty user-friendly, and they even share in yield profits. Other players such as Ethena Labs and custodians like BitGo have jumped into this space, while tech giants like Google are reportedly exploring stablecoin payment protocols, possibly for use with AI agents. This kind of setup supports a multi-issuer environment—where wallets, exchanges, and blockchain networks can all distribute and integrate stablecoins, with the potential to earn yield too. It’s not hard to see a future where stablecoins become more like commodities, treated as standard financial instruments.
That said, this promising new landscape isn’t without its risks. The biggest concerns tend to be liquidity fragmentation and lack of transparency around reserves. When you have multiple stablecoins pegged to something like the US dollar, but backed by varying reserve assets, it raises questions about whether users can reliably redeem their holdings or if financial stability might get compromised. The competition among SCaaS providers might incentivize issuers to chase higher yields on reserves—often by investing in assets that aren’t all that liquid—increasing dramatic vulnerability if a rush to redeem occurs. Remember the stablecoin crisis back in 2022 with Terra/LUNA? Yeah, that was a real eye-opener. To prevent a repeat, absolute transparency on reserve assets, insurance arrangements, and independent audits becomes crucial for building trust in this decentralized issuance model.
Of course, overseeing a multi-issuer stablecoin ecosystem at a global level adds even more complexity, especially from a regulatory perspective. The European Systemic Risk Board—led by ECB President Christine Lagarde—has emphasized the immediate need for standardized safeguards. They worry that issuing stablecoins across different countries within the EU, coupled with cross-border operations, could pose big risks—especially if market stress or reserve runs happen. This aligns with calls from officials like Chiara Scotti, the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Italy, who stresses that EU-wide rules need to be clear and harmonized. The goal is to prevent operational uncertainties and legal issues, especially when stablecoins issued outside the EU are involved. While the European Commission considers token interchangeability acceptable on paper, there’s mounting pressure to reevaluate this stance—in part because of the systemic risks that have been flagged.
Meanwhile, central banks and international organizations aren’t just sitting back—they’re warning loudly about the systemic risks stablecoins pose, particularly regarding monetary sovereignty. The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), for example, stresses the liquidity and credit risks inherent in stablecoin models. They point out that often, these platforms prioritize profitability over maintaining adequate reserves—risking convertibility and stability. BIS officials often draw parallels to 19th-century private banknotes, which had notoriously volatile exchange rates. They warn that if a major stablecoin runs into trouble, it could trigger fire sales of assets and ripple throughout broader financial markets. Interestingly enough, the amount of U.S. Treasuries held by stablecoins has grown significantly—rivaling that of some large institutional investors—which adds another layer of fragility. A sudden crisis in stablecoins holding large reserves of Treasuries could lead to cascading losses. BIS’s recommendation? Moving toward a new kind of transparent, tokenized ledger system that combines central bank reserves, commercial deposits, and government bonds to increase transparency and efficiency—though governance remains a major hurdle.
On the corporate front, Tether stands out as the dominant stablecoin issuer, having recently crossed the $100 billion mark in circulation. It embodies both influence and scrutiny—on one hand, it’s widely used and pegged to the dollar, but skepticism persists about whether its reserves are fully backed as claimed. Regulators are naturally concerned about system-wide risks, since Tether is bridging crypto markets with traditional finance. Critics often point to gaps in transparency around reserve holdings and warn that sudden outflows could cause turmoil, especially in trading volumes. Despite ongoing discussions about regulation, Tether continues to operate largely without direct oversight. It’s a good example of the broader challenge—balancing market operations with the need for effective supervision.
All these developments underscore what many experts have been saying: while stablecoins present exciting new payment tools and financial options, they come bundled with operational, legal, and systemic risks that aren’t easy to ignore. Concerns around liquidity, runs, compliance issues—particularly related to potential illicit activity—and their broader impact on the financial system mean we shouldn’t treat stablecoins as just a form of cash or bank deposit. Instead, the industry needs to ramp up transparency, tighten regulation, and implement solid risk management practices if we’re going to unlock the benefits of this SCaaS wave without risking financial chaos.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Verification / Sources
- https://beincrypto.com/stablecoin-growth-liquidity-concerns/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
- https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/eu-risk-watchdog-calls-urgent-safeguards-stablecoins-2025-10-02/ - The European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB), led by European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, has issued a warning calling for urgent safeguards on stablecoins that are only partially issued within the European Union. These concerns stem from potential vulnerabilities in 'multi-issuer' stablecoin arrangements, in which issuers inside and outside the EU collaborate. Under such schemes, stablecoins are not uniformly regulated, exposing the bloc to potential financial risk during market stress, such as a run on reserves. The ESRB emphasized the need for consistent oversight across jurisdictions to prevent regulatory arbitrage and reduce systemic financial risks associated with cross-border stablecoin arrangements.
- https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/bank-italy-urges-clarity-rules-multi-issuance-stablecoins-2025-09-18/ - A senior official from the Bank of Italy, Deputy Governor Chiara Scotti, has emphasized the need for the European Union to clarify regulatory standards concerning stablecoins issued under a 'multi-issuance' model, where identical tokens are issued across jurisdictions by different branches of the same company. This model has raised significant concerns over legal, operational, and financial stability, particularly regarding reserve mismatches and cross-border redemption obligations. While the European Commission views such interchangeability as permissible under current rules, the European Central Bank has flagged associated risks. Scotti warned that tokens viewed as interchangeable by users could lead to unforeseen vulnerabilities, especially if issuers outside the EU are not bound by the consumer protection and transparency standards set by the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). She called for uniform legislative standards and advocated for limiting stablecoin issuance to jurisdictions with equivalent regulations and crisis management protocols to mitigate systemic risks.
- https://www.ainvest.com/news/systemic-risks-global-stablecoin-operations-central-bank-policy-reserve-mismatches-2509/ - Reserve mismatches—where stablecoin liabilities (tokens in circulation) exceed the liquidity of their underlying assets—are a ticking time bomb. The BIS warns that stablecoins' business models inherently involve 'liquidity or credit risks' to remain profitable. This creates a paradox: to maintain par convertibility, stablecoins must hold sufficient reserves, but doing so often requires sacrificing returns on those assets. When redemption demands surge, as seen in the 2022 Terra/LUNA collapse, the mismatch becomes catastrophic. The risk is compounded by the lack of transparency. While the BIS acknowledges that reserve transparency can reduce run risk, it also notes that such transparency depends on the perceived quality of reserves and transaction costs. In practice, many stablecoin issuers obscure their reserve compositions, leaving investors and regulators in the dark. For example, a 2025 report revealed that stablecoin inflows into U.S. Treasuries have grown so large that they now rival institutional investors in shaping short-term rates. If a major stablecoin were to face a redemption crisis, the resulting fire sale of Treasuries could trigger a cascade of losses across the financial system.
- https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/central-bank-body-bis-delivers-stark-stablecoin-warning-2025-06-24/ - The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), often called the central bankers' central bank, has issued its strongest warning about the risks of stablecoins, urging countries to accelerate the move toward tokenizing their currencies. The BIS raised concerns that stablecoins could undermine monetary sovereignty, decrease transparency, and trigger capital flight in emerging markets. This warning follows a recent U.S. Senate bill to regulate U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins, which now dominate 99% of a $260 billion market. BIS Economic Adviser Hyun Song Shin criticized stablecoins for lacking a central bank's settlement capabilities and compared them to 19th-century U.S. private banknotes, noting volatile exchange rates and potential asset 'fire sales' like in the 2022 TerraUSD collapse. The BIS also questioned the quality and transparency of asset backing in dominant stablecoins, like Tether. In response, BIS advocates for a bold transition to a tokenized 'unified ledger' system merging central bank reserves, commercial deposits, and government bonds on a single digital platform. This system would offer faster, more transparent transactions, though governance and control remain key challenges. Outgoing BIS head Agustin Carstens emphasized the need for decisive steps to realize the system's full potential.
- https://www.reuters.com/technology/tethers-100-bln-stokes-stablecoin-stability-concerns-2024-03-05/ - Tether, the world's largest stablecoin, has reached $100 billion in circulation, raising concerns about its impact on the broader financial system. While Tether maintains a constant value by holding dollar-denominated reserves, regulators worry about potential risks due to its role as a bridge between crypto and mainstream financial markets. Critics argue that Tether's dominance increases systemic risk, as failure could lead to significant declines in crypto trading volumes. U.S. regulators have warned of rapid outflows from stablecoin reserves. Despite these concerns, Tether emphasizes its commitment to transparency and cooperation with law enforcement. Stablecoin legislation is developing, but Tether is not currently under specific regulatory supervision. S&P Global Ratings has noted a lack of information on Tether's reserve custodians, highlighting ongoing transparency issues.
- https://www.coinlive.com/en/news/the-risks-of-stablecoins-hidden-concerns-behind-the-halo - Stablecoins face several risks, including liquidity and bank run risks, compliance and systemic risks, and the potential for facilitating illegal financial activities. Liquidity risks arise when reserve assets are illiquid or redemption mechanisms are delayed, potentially triggering large-scale redemption requests and causing stablecoin prices to plummet. Compliance risks include the use of stablecoins for money laundering, terrorist financing, and capital flight due to their cross-border, 24/7, and peer-to-peer nature. The scale of stablecoins, with a total global market capitalization of $270 billion as of August 2025, poses systemic risks, as the failure of a leading stablecoin could ripple through the entire crypto market and traditional financial system. Investors should be aware that stablecoins' supposed stability lies behind complex financial operations and potential systemic risks, and should not be equated with bank deposits or cash.
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: 8
Notes: The narrative discusses recent developments in Stablecoin-as-a-Service (SCaaS), including Stripe's Open Issuance initiative, Ethena Labs, BitGo, and Google's exploration of stablecoin payment protocols. Stripe's Open Issuance was announced on 30 September 2025, and Ethena Labs and BitGo's involvement in SCaaS has been reported in recent months. The European Systemic Risk Board's concerns, led by ECB President Christine Lagarde, were highlighted on 3 September 2025. Tether's $100 billion milestone was reported on 5 March 2024. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The earliest known publication date of substantially similar content is 3 October 2025. The narrative is not republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The content is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score.
Quotes check
Score: 9
Notes: The narrative includes direct quotes from Stripe's president Will Gaybrick and ECB President Christine Lagarde. The earliest known usage of these quotes is from 30 September 2025 and 3 September 2025, respectively. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score: 7
Notes: The narrative originates from BeinCrypto, a cryptocurrency-focused news outlet. While it provides citations to reputable sources such as Reuters and CoinDesk, BeinCrypto's own reputation is less established compared to major outlets like the Financial Times or BBC. The involvement of entities like Stripe, Ethena Labs, BitGo, and the European Systemic Risk Board adds credibility. However, the lack of direct quotes from these organizations' official communications may reduce the overall reliability score.
Plausability check
Score: 8
Notes: The narrative presents plausible developments in the stablecoin sector, including Stripe's Open Issuance, Ethena Labs and BitGo's involvement, and regulatory concerns from the European Systemic Risk Board. These claims are supported by recent reports from reputable sources. The language and tone are consistent with industry reporting. There are no excessive or off-topic details, and the structure is focused on the main claims.
Overall assessment
Veredict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary: The narrative presents recent developments in the stablecoin sector, including Stripe's Open Issuance, Ethena Labs and BitGo's involvement, and regulatory concerns from the European Systemic Risk Board. While the content is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score, it includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The quotes from Stripe's president Will Gaybrick and ECB President Christine Lagarde are potentially original or exclusive. The source, BeinCrypto, is less established compared to major outlets, and the lack of direct quotes from official communications may reduce the overall reliability score. The claims are plausible and supported by recent reports from reputable sources. Given these factors, the overall assessment is OPEN with medium confidence.