Experts predict stablecoins to become core financial infrastructure by 2026

Industry experts forecast that stablecoins will become a core component of global financial infrastructure by 2026, serving as the underlying "plumbing" for both decentralized and traditional finance, Cointelegraph reports. The year 2026 is expected to be pivotal for regulated, dollar-backed stablecoins, with greater regulatory clarity driving mainstream adoption across banking, fintech, and corporate and retail payment networks. Use cases are projected to expand into B2B settlements, treasury operations, and payroll. In emerging markets across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, stablecoins are also anticipated to see rapid adoption for daily payments, remittances, and wealth preservation. However, challenges remain. Divergent national regulatory frameworks could increase systemic risk, market polarization, and liquidity fragmentation. Tokenized deposits are also expected to emerge as a key competitor, potentially replacing stablecoins in areas requiring high regulatory stability as banks innovate with permissioned ledgers. Experts also foresee a shift toward on-chain finance, with institutional investors expected to deploy an estimated $230 billion in currently idle, non-yield-bearing stablecoins into DeFi-based solutions.