88% of International SMEs See Stablecoin Potential Amid Massive Adoption Gap

New research from fintech Neo reveals a massive disconnect between the perceived value of stablecoins and their actual adoption in international B2B payments. While 88% of SME finance professionals believe stablecoins can streamline cross-border collections, only 27% currently accept them, highlighting a critical need for infrastructure that bridges the gap between digital assets and traditional fiat treasury.

What was announced

The report, titled "From Friction to Flow: How stablecoins could reshape international B2B collections," surveyed 100 corporate treasurers and senior finance professionals across the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The findings highlight a significant adoption gap: despite high confidence in the technology's potential, only 27% of SMEs currently accept stablecoins for customer payments. The primary deterrents are operational complexity, cited by 29% of respondents, followed by regulatory uncertainty at 23%, tax reporting at 21%, and accounting treatment at 18%.

To address these hurdles, 74% of those surveyed expressed a strong preference for automatic stablecoin-to-fiat conversion, a figure that rises to 82% in France and 79% in Italy. This indicates a clear demand for solutions that allow businesses to leverage the speed and liquidity of blockchain-based payments without the burden of managing digital assets directly. Key perceived benefits include faster access to liquidity (29%) and the availability of 24/7 settlement (22%), both of which are critical for improving working-capital management in international trade.

In response to these market needs, Neo established a partnership with Triple-A in June. This collaboration enables businesses to accept stablecoin payments through Neo’s existing treasury infrastructure, with the proceeds automatically converted into fiat currency to maintain traditional accounting workflows. This integration aims to provide the benefits of faster, more flexible payment options while allowing businesses to manage their funds through familiar accounts and processes.

"Stablecoins won't replace traditional currencies, nor will they be the best solution for every transaction. Businesses need access to different payment rails so they can choose the most efficient option depending on the market, currency and payment involved."

Laurent Descout, CEO and co-founder at Neo.

The companies involved

Neo is a cross-border payments and treasury fintech designed to provide businesses with a single platform for managing international cash flows. The company focuses on integrating modern payment rails into traditional corporate finance structures, offering services that include multi-currency accounts and foreign exchange solutions. Neo has established itself as a significant player in the European fintech space, recently maintaining high-profile partnerships within the professional sports sector to demonstrate its foreign exchange capabilities.

Triple-A is a regulated digital-asset payments provider that enables businesses to pay and get paid in cryptocurrencies without being exposed to volatility. The company holds several key licenses and has recently expanded its global footprint, including securing regulatory milestones in the Middle East. Triple-A’s infrastructure is designed to bridge the gap between the digital asset ecosystem and the traditional banking world, serving a diverse range of clients from luxury retailers to telecommunications providers. By providing the underlying technology for stablecoin-to-fiat conversion, Triple-A allows its partners to offer blockchain-based payment options while ensuring compliance and operational simplicity for the end-user.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed the expansion of both companies. In September 2026, we reported that Wolves and Neo Extend Foreign Exchange Partnership for 2026/27 Season, underscoring Neo's role in high-stakes corporate FX. Triple-A has been particularly active in the digital asset space; in August 2026, Eskimo Partners with Triple-A to Launch Stablecoin Payments for Global eSIM Plans. This followed news in July that Triple-A Secures VARA In-Principle Approval for Broker-Dealer Services in Dubai, a significant step for its international regulatory standing. Additionally, the company's move into the retail sector was highlighted when Triple-A Brings In-Store Stablecoin Payments to Singapore’s Luxury Resale Leader LuxLexicon in June 2026.

What this means

This announcement signals a shift in the stablecoin narrative from speculative asset to a pragmatic B2B tool. The high level of interest among SMEs suggests that traditional cross-border rails—often criticized for high costs and slow settlement—are under increasing pressure to evolve. However, the "adoption gap" identified by Neo highlights that technology alone is not enough; the industry is now in a race to solve the "last mile" of integration. The real needle-mover here is the move toward "invisible" crypto, where the blockchain handles the speed of the transaction while the treasurer only sees fiat. This puts pressure on traditional banks to offer similar 24/7 liquidity or risk losing SME volume to fintech-led stablecoin corridors.