Stablecoins face corporate demand gap despite infrastructure gains

Stablecoins have built regulatory clarity, institutional backing and banking support, yet corporate demand remains weak, according to research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and separate research from PYMNTS Intelligence source.

The Cleveland Fed found only 21 respondents who identified availability through an existing financial services provider as influencing their interest in stablecoins.

PYMNTS Intelligence reported that 42% of middle-market companies have discussed, tested or used stablecoins, but merely 13% are using them in production. In addition, 88% of firms that receive stablecoins convert them to U.S. dollars immediately, underscoring a preference for payment settlement over holding.

Adoption barriers include integration challenges with ERP, treasury and compliance systems, and the lack of a compelling economic case compared with existing payment methods. Companies are more likely to consider stablecoins where cross-border costs are high, as illustrated by a recent seven-day pilot by Lloyds Banking Group and Visa.

Our read: Without demonstrable cost savings or seamless ERP integration, stablecoins will remain a niche tool for specific cross-border corridors rather than a mainstream B2B payment solution.