Stablecoin transaction volumes surged 72% to reach $33 trillion in 2025, driven by regulatory clarity and expanding institutional adoption.
Circle's USDC has processed $183 billion in transactions, while Tether's USDT has processed $133 billion, according to Bloomberg.
The combined activity represents the fastest annual growth since stablecoins emerged as a payment infrastructure.
What happened
The GENIUS Act established a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins in July, creating structures that have encouraged institutional participation.
Transaction volumes accelerated in the fourth quarter, reaching $11 trillion compared to $8.8 trillion in the third quarter.
Major retailers, including Amazon and Walmart, have explored stablecoin initiatives following the adoption of legislation.
World Liberty Financial launched its USD1 token in March.
USDC's dominance in transaction volume stems from strong usage in DeFi, where tokens circulate frequently.
USDT maintains a $187 billion market capitalization advantage despite lower transaction flows.
This divergence reflects different use cases: USDC fuels DeFi while USDT is primarily used for payments.
Bloomberg Intelligence forecasts that flows could reach $56 trillion by 2030.
Read more: What US Banks Were Really Doing During The BTC Panic: CZ Exposes The Hidden Accumulation Phase
Why it matters
Regulatory clarity has removed barriers that previously limited institutions' adoption of stablecoins.
The shift toward mainstream adoption shows stablecoins evolving from crypto tools into broader financial infrastructure.
The acceleration in the fourth quarter suggests growing momentum as adoption expands.
The growth in transaction volumes, outpacing capitalization growth, indicates genuine usage expansion rather than mere speculation.
USDC's leadership in transaction volume, despite a smaller size, demonstrates how stablecoins serve distinct market segments.
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