In today’s hyper-connected economy, the demand for fast, affordable, and transparent payment solutions has never been greater. From corporate treasury and global supply chains to international freelancers and e-commerce, millions of businesses and individuals rely on cross-border transactions every day.
Unfortunately, sending and receiving money remains slow, costly, and fraught with regulatory and infrastructure challenges. Traditional payment rails frequently fall short and have inevitably—albeit inadvertently—made way for a new era of finance.
Enter stablecoins, blockchain networks, and fintech providers. These innovations offer real-time settlement, lower fees, and expansive access.
In this blog, we explore the role of stablecoins and the top payment providers that are redefining global finance in 2025.
Why Stablecoins are Reshaping Cross-Border Payments in 2025
Stablecoins are digital assets minted and stored on the blockchain that are designed to maintain a stable value by pegging its worth to a reserve asset. They are most commonly fiat-backed stablecoins in which the value is pegged to a fiat currency like the US dollar or euro. Because of this, they can offer greater price stability than other types of cryptocurrencies, making them an ideal entry point into the blockchain ecosystem for more risk-averse financial institutions.
Stablecoin development has gained traction across the finance industry, particularly due to the role that they can play in enabling more efficient cross-border payments by:
Providing currency stability and access to digital dollars
Enabling instant global settlement
Reducing remittance and business transaction costs
Operating 24/7 across borders
Stablecoins like USDC, USDT, RLUSD and newer region-specific tokens are being integrated into wallets and payment platforms worldwide—especially where access to USD is limited and there is greater currency volatility.
Ripple’s 2025 New Value Report: Stablecoin Trends in Business and Beyond found that global finance leaders suggest stablecoins will primarily affect cross-border payments, consumer-to-business payments, and vendor/supplier payments.
Most Popular Stablecoins Used for Business Payouts in 2025
Stablecoins can differ for myriad reasons, including:
Market availability related to regulation and payment systems
Reserve practices
Liquidity
Use cases
Blockchains supported
With these differences, businesses should carefully consider which stablecoin can best support their specific use case.
For example, a business that serves customers in more challenging corridors (LATAM, Africa, parts of Asia) should look for a stablecoin payment provider that can support on-ramps and off-ramps in those markets. Alternatively, a business using stablecoins for corporate treasury needs to ensure the provider offers transparency of reserves and compliance-focused transactions.
Here are the top stablecoin and cross-border payment providers reshaping how businesses send payouts to the US and global corridors in 2025:
1. Ripple (RLUSD)
Backed by a segregated reserve of cash and cash equivalents
Supports third-party payouts in global markets, including China, LATAM, and Africa
Fully integrated into a licensed cross-border payments solution, Ripple Payments
2. Circle (USDC)
Backed by cash-equivalent reserves
Strong compliance and partnerships with Visa, Stripe, and Coinbase
Widely used for B2B payments and remittances
3. Tether (USDT)
Most widely used stablecoin globally
Popular in emerging markets where access to USD is restricted
Integrated with major crypto exchanges and P2P platforms
These providers are helping unlock fast, stable, and low-cost payment flows where traditional banks fall short.
Traditional Finance Integrating Stablecoins
A number of traditional cross-border payment providers have begun integrating stablecoins into their business to satisfy customer demand for streamlined B2B payments, greater payment optionality, and to make their own internal treasury payments more efficient.
Visa began piloting stablecoin settlement for their customers earlier this year, and the business shared they’ve settled more than $225 million to date in stablecoin volume across participating clients. Similarly, Worldpay plans to offer global stablecoin payouts for clients in the US and Europe, and Mastercard is enabling customers to leverage stablecoin payments with Mastercard branded cards linked to the user’s stablecoin balance.
Businesses are also exploring stablecoins for treasury management because of their ability to improve cross-border payments. Global payments sent via a traditional payment rail take on average 3-5 days to settle, incur high fees, lack transparency, and are confined to bank hours. The time and capital constraints as well as resources required for cash management can be a heavy burden for businesses operating on a global scale.
By using stablecoins for treasury, businesses gain the ability to precisely track funds, settle in seconds, reduce the number of intermediaries, and operate 24/7—dramatically improving cash flow and agility in responding to shifting market dynamics.
Choosing the Right Cross-Border Payment Provider
When selecting a provider, consider:
Corridor coverage: Does this provider support my destination country or region?
Use case: Does this provider support my primary payment needs like B2B third party payouts or treasury payments?
Payout method: Does this provider offer last-mile payouts or will I need to connect to another provider in the destination country?
Currency support: Can this provider handle local currencies or stablecoins on either side of the transaction (on-ramps/off-ramps)?
Compliance and licenses: Is this provider regulated in key markets?
Speed and settlement: How quickly are the funds delivered?
Costs: Are quotes for the fees and FX spreads provided before I send the payment?
Integration Options: Does this provider offer APIs, mobile apps, or local agents?
Support: What type of customer service does this provider offer and do they have local knowledge of my region?
Ripple’s Stablecoin (RLUSD)
While there are a number of stablecoins in circulation and multiple fintech payment providers, Ripple is unique in that RLUSD is fully integrated with a licensed cross-border payment solution, Ripple Payments. With a global payments network spanning 90 payout markets and more than 55 currencies, Ripple Payments customers can access flexible pay-in and pay-out options using fiat, crypto and stablecoins via a single API.
This flexibility affords businesses the agility to integrate stablecoins into their payment flows if and when they’re ready, and the competitive edge needed to properly respond to customer demand—all while remaining compliant with local regulatory requirements.
As the world moves toward decentralized finance, stablecoins and fintech innovators are transforming global transactions. From blockchain-based networks to mobile money aggregators, the financial services ecosystem is evolving fast and the increase in stablecoin adoption is just one example of this shift.
For more stablecoin payments trends, download Ripple’s 2025 New Value Stablecoin report.
