Most Americans remain unfamiliar with stablecoins, but a new Visa study suggests that bank-level protections could significantly boost adoption for international transfers.
Visa's Money Travels 2026 report found that in a hypothetical scenario where stablecoins came with bank-level fraud protection and deposit insurance, willingness to use them for international transfers jumped from 36% to 56%. The payments company stressed that this scenario does not indicate such protections currently exist or are planned.
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets, typically the U.S. dollar, designed to avoid price volatility. Unlike bank deposits, they do not carry FDIC insurance.
Low Awareness Remains a Barrier
Familiarity presents a significant challenge. According to the survey, 56% of U.S. respondents had never heard of stablecoins. Among those aware of them, many incorrectly believed they fluctuate like Bitcoin.
Provider trust plays an important role in adoption. Interest rose to 45% when stablecoins were offered through an existing financial provider. About six in 10 Americans said they would trust a traditional bank (61%) or a global payment network (60%) with digital currency services.
Global and Security Concerns
The trend extended beyond the United States. In Latin America, willingness to use stablecoins more than doubled from 34% to 74% when protections were in place.
Security concerns also weigh on users. Among U.S. remitters surveyed, 36% said they had encountered a cross-border payment scam, and 44% expressed worry about AI deepfakes impersonating family members.
Morning Consult conducted the survey from February 24 to March 2, polling 45,445 people across 20 markets, including 2,192 U.S. adults.
Growing Stablecoin Activity
Visa's stablecoin settlement volume has grown significantly. The company reported an annualized settlement rate above $20 billion, up from a $3.5 billion run rate when it began U.S. settlement in USDC on Solana in December. In August, Visa Direct added stablecoin payouts through Zerohash.
BlackRock estimated stablecoins' market capitalization above $300 billion, with more than $11 trillion in adjusted transaction volume recorded last year.
