Stablecoin market hits $312B as banks, card networks embrace onchain dollars
Stablecoins are expanding into global payments infrastructure, with the market reaching $312 billion as institutions adopt onchain settlement.Summary
According to Macquarie, stablecoins are evolving from a niche crypto trading tool into a potential layer of global financial infrastructure, with the market capitalization of major coins hitting approximately $312 billion as of March 2026, a 50% year-over-year increase.
While 90% of stablecoin activity remains in crypto trading, adoption is growing in cross-border remittances, treasury operations, and tokenized assets, driven by regulatory progress like Europe's MiCA framework and the U.S. GENIUS Act. Transaction volume reached about $11 trillion in 2025, signaling their growing economic relevance.
Major financial players are integrating this technology; Visa and Mastercard now support USDC settlement for card obligations, and banks like JPMorgan, Citi, and HSBC are actively piloting tokenized deposit products, demonstrating traction for blockchain-based settlement among large institutions.
(Source：CoinDesk)