What will happen to stablecoins by 2030: three forecasts

The idea behind stablecoins is simple: peg the value of a token to a fiat currency (e.g., the dollar), and the cryptocurrency market gets «digital dollars» that can be used like regular paper dollars. But with cheap and lightning-fast international transactions thanks to the blockchain. In practice, it turned out that regulators see stablecoins as a risk or threat to the stability of their currencies, criminals use them as a means of money laundering and investors perceive them as the closest analog of cash in the blockchain world.

In any case, the role of stablecoins for the financial system will only grow for the next five years.

What to expect from stablecoins by 2030

1. 1. Governments will have more control

Governments like to control money, and stablecoins are no exception. For example, USDC and Tether can freeze any wallet address in seconds.

In 2022, the USDC issuer Circle froze 75 thousand USDC to addresses associated with Tornado Cash within hours of the introduction of sanctions in the United States.

In 2023, Tether blocked 32 wallets allegedly linked to terrorist financing under pressure from law enforcement.

On July 18, 2025, the United States passed the GENIUS Act, which requires any stablecoin issuer (in the United States or abroad) to prove its ability to comply with government orders, including asset freezing and confiscation, as a condition for market access. Other countries are likely to follow suit.

By 2030, the freezing and seizure of stablecoins is likely to become as commonplace as bank fraud alerts are today. However, this also means that governments will use this power against political opponents.

2. At least one major stablecoin will go bankrupt

Stablecoins maintain their value through financial mechanisms that are often hidden from investors. Sometimes these mechanisms break down. Example — TerraUSD. In 2022, the coin entered a «death spiral and wiped out $60 billion in capital. Even fully backed stablecoins sometimes «falter»: USDC fell to $0.88 in 2023 during the crisis Silicon Valley Bankbut then recovered.

Currently, there is $257 billion in stablecoins. As the volume grows, so does the temptation to cut costs or make risky investments.

By 2030, at least one major stablecoin will collapse to zero. Investors should hold only the most transparent and regulated assets, not keeping all their savings in one token.

3. Stablecoins will start taking away «bread» from SWIFT

Once you set up a blockchain wallet, stablecoins allow you to transfer money abroad very quickly and conveniently, bypassing the delays and high fees of older systems. Traditional payment networks, such as SWIFT, use a messaging system, and such transfers cost tens of dollars and take several days to complete.

Transaction volumes in stablecoins are currently smaller but growing rapidly: annual online transfers already exceed $20 trillion — 10 times more than four years ago. If this pace continues or accelerates, stablecoins will overtake SWIFT in the remittance segment by 2030. This is beneficial for blockchains and services that can connect digital dollars with traditional banks at low cost.

Source: The Motley Fool