Important points:
- Stablecoin trading volume rapidly increases 72% to record high of $33 trillion in 2025It is driven by policy clarity and growing global demand for a digital dollar.
- USDC monopolizes $18.3 trillion in trade flowsdespite Tether’s larger market capitalization, surpassing USDT’s $13.3 trillion.
- Quarterly momentum accelerates; Q4 2025 will reach $11 trillionanalysts believe that stablecoin payments are $56 trillion by 2030.
Stablecoins are no longer niche crypto tools. According to , by 2025, they will be at the core of global digital payments, reshaping how dollars move across borders, blockchains, and financial systems. Bloomberg.
Stablecoin transaction value reaches historic $33 trillion
Stablecoin usage will reach an all-time high in 2025, with total transaction volume $33 trillionAccording to data compiled by Artemis Analytics. it is 72% increase compared to previous yearreflecting a sharp acceleration compared to the previous cycle.
This growth coincided with a loosening of regulatory stances in the United States, where the federal government moved to formalize rules for dollar-backed stablecoins. Legislative developments reduced uncertainty for financial institutions, payment companies, and large corporations that remained on the periphery.
Stablecoins aim to follow the price of a traditional asset, usually the US dollar. Its speed, low cost, and universal availability make it attractive. The benefits of 2025 have been implemented on an unimaginable scale, including in crypto transactions, cross-border payments, financial processes, and everyday transactions.
This momentum continued to increase throughout the year, but peaked last quarter when stablecoin trading volume reached $11 trillion, the highest amount ever recorded in a previous quarter.
USDC takes the lead in trading volume
While Tether USDT has not lost its leadership in market capitalization, USDC was definitely the leader in terms of number of transactions.
- USDC transactions: $18.3 trillion
- USDT transactions: $13.3 trillion
In 2025, both controlled over 95% of the total stablecoin trading volume. This split highlights the growing divergence between the two. Where stablecoins are stored and how it is used. USDT, there is circulating supply nearby $187 billioncontinues to dominate as a store of value and payment method, especially in centralized exchanges and emerging markets. USDC, market capitalization is approx. 75 billion dollarsare moving much more frequently on the chain.
Read more: Circle Mints raises $250M in USDC on Solana, significantly increasing DeFi liquidity
Why USDC moves so often
USDC has become the preferred dollar asset across decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. Traders and protocols reuse the same tokens over and over again for lending, liquidity provision, derivatives, and automated trading strategies. The number of transactions increases rapidly as positions are opened and closed.
In contrast, USDT is often held for long periods of time. Widely used for payments, remittances, and balance storage, it moves less per dollar issued.
This difference explains why USDC can generate more trading volume without exceeding USDT in overall supply.
Read more: USDC Treasury Mints $250 Million in Solana, Showing Strong Demand for Stablecoins
Regulation increases trust in organizations
One of the biggest drivers for 2025 was regulatory certainty in the United States. The legal risks associated with corporate adoption of stablecoins in business have become less risky with the advent of new legislation specifying conditions for reserve support, disclosure, and regulation by issuers.
In this transformation, the organization’s involvement became more extensive. Large banks, payment providers, and multinational corporations have begun considering or experimenting with systems based on stablecoins for payments and remittances within their organizations. Retailers as well as technology companies have turned to stablecoins as a potential way to reduce costs and speed up payments, especially international trade.
This environment turned out to be the most favorable for USDC in most institutions. Its regulatory standing, liberal provisions, and proximity to the U.S. compliance model have made it more receptive to companies that appreciate legal predictability and abundant liquidity.
