Visa Study: Nearly Half of APAC Consumers Plan to Use Stablecoins Within Five Years

Visa has released new research detailing a significant shift in stablecoin sentiment across the Asia Pacific region, with nearly half of consumers planning to use them for everyday transactions within five years. For fintech professionals, this signals a transition for stablecoins from niche crypto-trading assets to mainstream payment tools, provided trust and regulatory hurdles are addressed.

What was announced

The research highlights a growing appetite for stablecoins beyond their traditional role in cryptocurrency trading. Across Asia Pacific, 46% of consumers indicated they are likely to use stablecoins within the next five years, a sharp increase from the 16% who reported using them in the previous 12 months. This interest is increasingly focused on practical applications, including everyday online purchases, travel spending, and international shopping. Notably, 49% of respondents believe stablecoins will become a common method for cross-border money movement within five years, suggesting significant potential for the remittance and international transfer sectors.

Geographically, awareness is highest in Hong Kong at 84%, followed by India at 80% and Thailand at 77%. When measuring future intent, Vietnam and India lead the region, with 67% of consumers in both markets expecting to use stablecoins in the next five years. However, a significant "understanding gap" persists. While 66% of consumers are aware of stablecoins, only 6% demonstrate an accurate understanding of their mechanics. Misconceptions are common; 49% of those aware of the technology believe they are only for buying other cryptocurrencies, and 41% incorrectly believe stablecoins always increase in value.

To bridge this, Visa is highlighting the role of the Visa Stablecoin Platform to help clients mint and manage these assets through regulated financial institutions. Trust remains a primary barrier, with 38% of non-users citing concerns about fraud or scams. Consequently, consumers show a strong preference for regulated providers, with government-linked entities (27%) and banks (26%) ranking as the most trusted sources for stablecoin access.

"Consumers are beginning to see how stablecoins could support the ways they already spend and move money, particularly through online purchases, travel and cross-border transfers. The opportunity now is to turn that interest into trusted and familiar payment experiences that work at scale."

Nischint Sanghavi, Head of Digital Currencies, Asia Pacific at Visa

The companies involved

Visa is a global leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. The company has become a central fixture in the evolution of the payments landscape, with FF News having tracked its developments across 712 separate reports. In the current market, Visa acts as a bridge between traditional fiat systems and emerging digital asset technologies.

The company’s strategy in the Asia Pacific region focuses on integrating stablecoin capabilities into the existing financial infrastructure that consumers already recognize. By working directly with banks and regulated financial institutions, Visa aims to address the trust deficit that currently hampers wider adoption. The survey data confirms that consumers prefer these regulated entities over unregulated crypto-native platforms. As the market matures, Visa’s role involves providing the underlying technology—such as the Visa Stablecoin Platform—to enable the secure minting, moving, and management of digital currencies. This positioning allows the company to maintain its influence as payments transition toward blockchain-based settlements while ensuring compliance and security remain at the forefront of the consumer experience.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has extensively covered Visa’s expanding footprint in the digital asset and real-time payment sectors. Recently, the publication highlighted how Visa Data Reveals 200% Surge in Stablecoin-Linked Card Volume for Business Payments, underscoring the growing institutional and commercial utility of these assets. The integration of Visa’s network into specialized sectors was also seen when AptPay Launches Real-Time iGaming Payouts via Visa Direct Alias Integration, demonstrating the demand for immediate liquidity.

Furthermore, Visa’s collaborative efforts extend to the small business sector, as seen when BEYLA and Visa Partner to Launch AI-Powered Digital C-Suite for SMBs. These reports collectively show a pattern of Visa embedding its technology into diverse financial workflows, from high-level business payments to niche consumer applications, setting the stage for the stablecoin integration discussed in the latest Asia Pacific findings.

What this means

This announcement confirms that the "crypto winter" has not killed consumer interest in digital assets, but it has fundamentally changed the nature of that interest. The shift from speculative trading to functional utility puts immense pressure on traditional remittance providers and legacy cross-border corridors. If stablecoins can offer near-instant settlement at a lower cost through familiar banking interfaces, the high-fee models of the past become unsustainable. However, the industry faces a massive educational hurdle. With only 6% of consumers understanding the technology, the risk of "stablecoin" being conflated with volatile crypto-assets remains high. The sector’s next challenge is not technical, but one of clear, transparent communication and robust regulatory alignment.