This year’s Money 20/20 event brought industry leaders together to discuss the latest in payments and fintech. Many conversations at the event underscored certain key trends that are rapidly shaping the payments landscape. The shift in the types of conversations around stablecoins happening today is undeniable – the question has moved beyond “Why stablecoins?” to “How do we do this today?” 

Here are three major takeaways from this year’s event:

A new era for stablecoins in payments: from explaining the basics to showcasing solutions

At Money 20/20, it became clear that conversations that once centered around explaining what stablecoins are have shifted; today, we’re diving into discussions on what is needed to build blockchain payments solutions. The reason is clear – the foundation is ready and the domino effect is moving quickly. 

Regulations are clearer in many jurisdictions, which signals that there’s a solid foundation for banks to bank payment companies and merchants who touch digital assets in their payment flows with confidence. This then means that companies can now off-ramp stablecoins and cryptocurrencies more efficiently, therefore accelerating demand and their ability to build services to support more businesses.   

Industry validation: Stripe’s $1 billion bet on blockchain

Another proof point for this conversational shift is Stripe, who have provided validation of blockchain’s long-term role in payments. Its recent acquisition of Bridge for $1 billion stands as a testament to this,  signaling to the broader market that blockchain is not just here to stay, but becoming a fundamental part of the future of payments. Industry players are clearly recognizing an increasing urgency to explore or deepen their digital asset strategies to maintain a competitive edge.

Stablecoin demand rising from the ground up: merchants and end-users are driving adoption

What’s particularly striking is that the demand driving interest from payment providers is coming directly from their customers – and there’s no better way to encourage payments companies to expand their offerings. At Money2020, we saw evidence that merchants and end-users are increasingly asking for stablecoin payouts. This trend speaks volumes about the role digital assets are playing in real-world transactions, especially for industries like import/export, in which rapid access to working capital is crucial.

For companies like Fireblocks, this market validation confirms that we’re moving in the right direction, and we’re excited to continue leading the charge in bridging traditional finance with the stablecoin ecosystem. As we continue to expand our offerings at Fireblocks, we’re listening closely to these shifts. Today, our clients report that their users want faster, more efficient settlement options, and stablecoins are proving invaluable in meeting this demand. The excitement we’re seeing from merchants is something we didn’t encounter even two years ago, and it’s a powerful indicator of how far the market has come.

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