TL;DR
- Stablecoins continue gaining traction among banks, fintech firms and payment providers after recent regulatory developments in the United States.
- Executives from MoonPay, Ripple and Paxos said at Consensus Miami 2026 that institutional demand now depends on stronger infrastructure, privacy improvements and practical payment integration.
- Industry leaders also argued that stablecoins are evolving beyond trading tools, with growing interest in cross-border transfers, treasury management and settlement services for traditional financial institutions.
Stablecoins are moving deeper into the financial system as regulated companies expand their blockchain payment strategies. During the Consensus Miami 2026 conference, executives from MoonPay, Ripple and Paxos explained that clearer regulatory frameworks are reducing uncertainty for institutions exploring stablecoin products and onchain settlement networks.
The discussion reflected a broader industry trend. Over the past year, several financial firms and payment companies accelerated stablecoin research as governments in the United States, Europe and Asia introduced clearer compliance standards for digital assets. Market participants increasingly view dollar-backed tokens as tools for payments and liquidity management rather than purely speculative instruments.
Stablecoins Gain Institutional Attention
Richard Harrison, vice president of banking and payment partnerships at MoonPay, said recent regulatory clarity encouraged more traditional firms to explore stablecoins. According to Harrison, legislation such as the GENIUS Act made the sector easier for financial institutions to evaluate from a compliance perspective.
He added that stablecoins address inefficiencies that still affect global transfers. International payments can require several days to settle through legacy banking systems, while blockchain-based transfers allow near-instant movement of funds at lower costs.
Even so, Harrison noted that stablecoins still represent a relatively small portion of global remittance activity. He estimated adoption could rise steadily over the next 5 years as payment infrastructure improves and more merchants integrate digital dollar services.
Infrastructure And Privacy Remain Central Challenges
Ripple senior vice president Jack McDonald said institutional adoption depends on regulated products, reliable custody providers and trusted financial partners. He explained that many corporate clients prioritize legal certainty before committing large transaction volumes to blockchain networks.
McDonald also emphasized that utility matters more than market capitalization. Ripple continues focusing on treasury operations, collateral management and payment settlement as key use cases for stablecoins across enterprise markets.
Meanwhile, Paxos senior staff software engineer Brent Perrault argued that privacy remains an unresolved issue for the sector. Public blockchains expose transaction activity, which creates concerns for businesses handling sensitive financial information.
Perrault said newer stablecoin issuers are increasingly competing through compliance standards, distribution partnerships and user incentives. He pointed to PayPal USD and institutional partnerships involving major financial firms as evidence that demand continues expanding beyond crypto-native companies.
