Stablecoin interest grows across Asia Pacific, study shows

By Divya Shah

Visa has released new research highlighting growing consumer interest in using stablecoins for everyday payments, travel spending and cross-border money transfers across the Asia Pacific region, despite persistent concerns around trust and understanding. 

According to the survey, 46% of consumers said they are likely to use stablecoins within the next five years, compared with 16% who reported having used them in the past 12 months. The findings suggest that stablecoins are increasingly being viewed as a practical payment tool rather than solely a cryptocurrency trading instrument. 

The study found that online purchases, travel spending and overseas shopping emerged as key areas of interest. In addition, 49% of respondents believed stablecoins could become a common method for transferring money across borders within the next five years, indicating potential opportunities in remittances and international payments. 

However, misconceptions continue to hinder wider adoption. Nearly half (49%) of consumers familiar with stablecoins still believed they can only be used to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. Overall awareness of stablecoins reached 66% across Asia Pacific, but only 6% of consumers demonstrated an accurate understanding of how they work. 

At the market level, Hong Kong recorded the highest awareness of stablecoins at 84%, followed by India at 80% and Thailand at 77%. Meanwhile, Vietnam and India showed the strongest adoption intent, with 67% of consumers in both markets indicating they are likely to use stablecoins within the next five years. 

Trust also emerged as a major barrier. Among consumers aware of stablecoins but who had never used them, 38% cited concerns about fraud and scams, while 36% pointed to a lack of understanding. Respondents expressed the greatest trust in government or central bank-linked entities (27%) and banks or regulated financial institutions (26%) as providers of stablecoin services. 

Visa said the findings underscore the need to make stablecoins more accessible through familiar, secure and regulated payment experiences. The company is working with banks, financial institutions and payment partners to integrate stablecoin capabilities into existing payment ecosystems, including through its Visa Stablecoin Platform, which enables clients to mint, move and manage stablecoins. 

According to Visa, the next phase of stablecoin adoption will depend less on awareness and more on the ability of payment providers to deliver trusted, user-friendly experiences that align with how consumers already pay and transfer money.