How Stablecoins Make the World Better

The crypto industry has been awfully focused this cycle on how it can make its mark on the future of the internet by churning out new tokens. But amid all of this Crypto Twitter clamoring, there's been a silent revolution in progress toward promoting greater financial access in various corners of the globe.

The last time we explored this topic, I dug into how stablecoins have become lifelines in places like Lebanon, Nigeria, and Turkey—where traditional banking systems are failing and access to financial infrastructure is a privilege, not a guarantee. 

Today, let's zoom in on how this transformation is actually playing out on the ground. 👇

Stablecoins as the New Financial System

Stablecoins aren’t just speculative assets – they’re building blocks for a new, inclusive, and internet-native financial system, and they are slowly becoming a larger piece of the overall crypto ecosystem.

The idea is simple: give people programmable dollars they can actually control. But the implications are massive. Here are the core components of this emerging architecture:

1️⃣ Borderless Payments & Remittances

Legacy remittance rails are slow and expensive—often charging 5-10% in fees and taking days to settle. With stablecoins like USDT on TRON, cross-border payments are instant and cost less than a penny. In emerging markets, this is more than convenience—it’s survival. 

2️⃣ Censorship-Resistant Savings

In countries facing capital controls, inflation, or banking collapse, people are turning to stablecoins to store value. Self-custodied wallets enable anyone to hold and protect their money without relying on a trusted third party.

3️⃣ DeFi-Powered Microfinance

Stablecoins are the gateway to onchain credit. Protocols like Aave, Goldfinch, and Centrifuge allow people to access loans, lend capital, or tap decentralized credit scoring systems—no bank account required. There’s a reason why we see DeFi protocol year-over-year growth increasing worldwide. 

4️⃣ Global Work Payments & Gig Economy Inclusion

Freelancers in places like Kenya, Venezuela, and the Philippines are increasingly getting paid in stablecoins. Platforms like Braintrust and Valora bypass banking infrastructure and deliver global, stable compensation.

5️⃣ Onchain Interest

This is the unlock. Today, stablecoins are backed by U.S. Treasuries, but most of the yield is kept by issuers. With regulatory clarity, stablecoins could offer interest-bearing accounts to anyone with an internet connection, turning them into globally accessible savings tools. Consumers could earn 4%+ instead of the 0.01% banks offer, and billions could access interest-yielding dollars for the first time.

(For additional learning here, see Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong’s recent post on this topic.)

The Path Forward

Stablecoins are no longer a side narrative, they’re the main story. They’ve already settled over $5.28 trillion in value. They’re being used by people, not just protocols. And with features like onchain interest on the horizon, they’re rapidly becoming the foundation of a new kind of banking.

To get there, we need to finish the job:

• Enable onchain interest for regulated stablecoins.
• Expand on/off ramps to make fiat conversion seamless.
• Improve wallet UX for mainstream users.
• Build and support the local ecosystems already thriving on these rails.

The result? A permissionless, programmable, borderless financial system - built not in theory, but in real time, by real people, solving real problems.

Part III coming soon! 🤫