a16z: Stablecoins are evolving from trading tools to core financial infrastructure, with Q1 trading volume reaching $4.5 trillion

By: rootdata|2026/04/25 08:17:51

a16z released the latest research indicating that stablecoins are gradually evolving from their initial role as transaction settlement tools and stores of value into global financial infrastructure. Data shows that following the regulatory clarity driven by the U.S. GENIUS Act, the stablecoin market has accelerated its growth, with adjusted trading volumes reaching approximately $4.5 trillion.

The report shows that consumer-to-business (C2B) stablecoin transactions grew by 128% year-on-year, reaching 284.6 million transactions. The monthly collateral deposits for stablecoin card projects also increased from nearly zero at the end of 2024 to over $300 million by early 2026, reflecting the rapid expansion of stablecoin payment scenarios. Meanwhile, the velocity of stablecoins has increased from 2.6 times to 6 times since early 2024, indicating a shift from being "held" to being "frequently used." a16z believes that the focus of stablecoin applications is shifting from cross-border payments to local payment infrastructure, particularly evident in markets such as Asia and Brazil.

The Ethereum Foundation has released this non-technical introductory report aimed at government officials, central banks, regulators, and corporate decision-makers, explaining how Ethereum works, how it is governed, how it differs from other blockchains, and how institutions and governments are alre...

A pre-announced harvesting case: After the cryptocurrency price dropped by 99%, the public chain Saga exited to transform into AI

True failure often isn't a single price drop, but rather a pricing mechanism that repeatedly rewards those who tell stories while repeatedly punishing those who believe in the stories.

When American giants collectively "defect" from Chinese AI models

Coinbase CEO publicly stated: the company has fully switched its AI to a Chinese model, cutting expenses in half while usage has doubled. Snowflake and Lindy are also doing the same thing—an unnoticed "AI model migration wave" is happening.

BIS Report Compliance Observation: The Real Risks of Stablecoins, Not Just "Depegging"

The issue with stablecoins is not just whether their price will decouple, but whether they can be integrated into a recognizable, monitorable, accountable, and regulated financial system.

Portugal 2-1 Croatia: Ronaldo's 20-Year Knockout-Stage Drought Ends With a Debt Finally Collected

Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the 2026 global football championship's knockout rounds as Ronaldo scored his first-ever knockout-stage goal, Gonçalo Ramos struck a stoppage-time winner, and VAR ruled out a late equalizer for offside.

Bitcoin Price Prediction July 2026: Will BTC Recover to $70K or Drop Below $55K?

Bitcoin price prediction for July 2026: Can BTC recover to $70,000 or fall below $55,000? Explore ETF flows, key support levels, Fed outlook, and our Bitcoin forecast.

A South Korean company that learned the strategy of hoarding coins, from a bull market to delisting?

When the overall momentum of the Korean stock market is strong, this batch of cryptocurrency concept stocks, branded as the "Korean version of Strategy," finds itself at a crossroads of life and death.

WEEX API Broker Program: Turn Your Trading Platform Into a Revenue Engine

Become a WEEX API Broker and earn up to 70% trading fee sharing. Get institutional-grade liquidity, OAuth Fast Connect, and a 4-5 day integration for your AI trading platform, bot, or signal community.

How to choose between buying discounted ETH, Bitmine, and SharpLink?

The answer may not lie in whose story is told better, but in specific dimensions such as cost of holding, financing ability, liquidity, and whether the narrative can be realized.

Wosh: Inflation has cooled in recent weeks, AI is reshaping the economy, and forward guidance has lost its necessity

Federal Reserve Chairman Waller clearly stated at the ECB forum that the Fed will abandon forward guidance on interest rates, with future decisions relying entirely on real-time economic data. He noted that inflation risks in the U.S. have decreased over the past four weeks, but the ultimate impact ...

From Pump.fun to Collector Crypt: Has Solana's income throne changed hands?

The revenue from consumer applications on Solana is no longer solely reliant on meme coin issuance, but is gradually spreading to more consumption scenarios.

Dan Bin's latest speech: Don't miss out on a great era

Don't let hesitation trap your steps, and don't let shortsightedness waste the passing years—make sure not to miss this magnificent era that belongs to us.

Robinhood launches its own blockchain, no longer wanting to be a tenant on others' chains

While laying off employees and issuing bonds, it is the predictive market business that temporarily supports the income.

Why Tokenized Stocks Are Booming in 2026 While Crypto Is Still Struggling

Why are tokenized stocks booming while the crypto market struggles? Explore the latest 2026 data, institutional adoption, and what it means for traders.

Looking at Stripe's ambitions and the future of stablecoins from OUSD

Stripe enters the stablecoin network battle with OUSD, a comprehensive look at the third paradigm evolution of digital dollars and the new infrastructure for global payments in the AI era.

A pre-announced harvesting case: After the cryptocurrency price dropped by 99%, the public chain Saga exited to transform into AI

True failure often isn't a single price drop, but rather a pricing mechanism that repeatedly rewards those who tell stories while repeatedly punishing those who believe in the stories.

When American giants collectively "defect" from Chinese AI models