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Vignesh S G
Vignesh S G
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- May 12, 2025 11:58 UTC
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Stablecoins to Hit $3.7 Trillion by 2030, Says Citi Bank
Citi projects stablecoin market cap could reach $3.7 trillion by 2030 due to expanding real-world applications.
Real-world stablecoin usage, particularly in payments, is rapidly increasing, supported by data from Fireblocks.
The future of stablecoins will be shaped by evolving global regulations and the approach of individual nations towards digital currencies.
Stablecoins are breaking out of the crypto bubble. A new report from global banking giant Citi suggests the stablecoin market could reach a massive $3.7 trillion by 2030. Real-world adoption is picking up fast in areas like payments, remittances, and institutional finance.
Here’s a breakdown of Citi’s findings and why stablecoins could play a major role in the future of digital finance.
Stablecoin Market Overview
The total market capitalization of stablecoins currently stands at $245.4 billion, with a 24-hour trading volume of $86.7 billion.
Top stablecoins by market cap:
- Tether (USDT): $149.97 billion
- USD Coin (USDC): $60.71 billion
- USDS: $7.72 billion
- Athena USDe and Dai follow closely
Tether also dominates trading volume, with over $76 billion in exchanges in the past 24 hours.
Citi’s Stablecoin Forecast: What to Expect by 2030
Citi’s Future of Finance report outlines two scenarios for stablecoin growth:
- Base Case: $1.6 trillion market cap by 2030
- Bull Case: $3.7 trillion market cap by 2030
According to Ronit Ghose, Citi’s Global Head of Future of Finance, stablecoins are evolving into tools for:
- Cross-border payments
- Domestic remittances
- SME and corporate transactions
- Settlement of tokenized assets
Ghose explains that stablecoins allow global users to hold US dollars or euros affordably and efficiently.
Real-World Use Is Gaining Ground
Supporting Citi’s projections, digital asset platform Fireblocks shared real-world data that shows stablecoin usage is rising fast.
- Payment firms represent 11% of their clients
- But they account for 16% of stablecoin transactions
- Transaction volumes are growing 30% quarter over quarter
- Over the last 90 days, Fireblocks processed $517 billion in USDT and USDC
- $82 billion came from payment-focused clients
This data confirms that real-world use is growing rapidly, particularly in the payments sector.
The Role of Regulation: Stablecoins or CBDCs?
A big factor in the future of stablecoins is regulation. Specifically, whether countries will support stablecoins, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), or a mix of both.
According to Citi’s Ghose, different countries will likely take different approaches based on their own regulatory strategies.
“Some countries may favor stablecoins, others will back CBDCs, and some may adopt both, depending on their regulatory environment.”
Conclusion
With growing adoption across businesses and payment networks, stablecoins are moving into mainstream finance. Citi’s projection of a $3.7 trillion market cap by 2030 may soon shift from possibility to reality.
The shift has already begun – and it’s moving fast.
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FAQs
Stablecoins are now used for payments, remittances, merchant settlements, and as cash legs for tokenized assets.
Citi expects stablecoins to partly replace overseas and domestic cash holdings and become part of bank liquidity tools.
Stablecoin payment volume is growing 30% per quarter; Fireblocks sees payment firms soon driving 50% of all volume.
Payment companies are rapidly adopting stablecoins for cross-border transfers, remittances, and merchant settlements, driving over 30% quarterly growth.
Yes 
No 
