AI microbusinesses could drive $262B in stablecoin volume by 2033: Swyftx
AI-enabled microbusinesses and freelancers could become a major growth driver for stablecoin payments as AI-native solo work expands globally. Swyftx estimates the gig and freelance payments market could reach $2.1 trillion by 2033, with $775 billion coming from AI-native workers. In its base case, about $262 billion of that could settle in stablecoins if adoption reaches roughly 33%. The shift toward solo founders and very small firms is important because these workers often operate across borders, invoice frequently, and face high fees and slow settlement in traditional banking rails. Stablecoins can reduce transfer costs by 80% to 90%, potentially saving freelancers large annual fees. Swyftx also sees a larger infrastructure opportunity: OTC liquidity, custody, and yield services for payment platforms could generate as much as $1.3 billion in revenue by 2033. AI agents may further boost demand because they cannot easily use bank accounts and may rely on crypto for payments.
