Stablecoins to Hit $3.7 Trillion by 2030, Says Citi Bank

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.

• Also Read :
•   5 Key Economic Events This Week That Could Make or Break the Crypto Bull Run
• ,

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.

FAQs