Crypto Biz: How stablecoins found their niche
Stablecoins are becoming more specialized and closer to traditional finance rails. Dune data shows USDT and USDC now dominate different segments: USDT is the leading payments stablecoin, handling about $95 billion in commercial payments in the first half of 2026 and remaining strong in B2B transfers, while USDC is the main settlement asset for DeFi and onchain trading, especially on Ethereum and Base. Demand is also rising for MiCA-compliant euro stablecoins, with their market cap up 128% to nearly $674 million, though euro tokens are still tiny versus dollar-backed stablecoins. In crypto treasury news, Strategy sold 3,588 BTC worth $216 million to help pay preferred dividends, reigniting debate over its “never sell” stance, though it remains the largest corporate Bitcoin holder. Separately, Vanguard is hiring a digital assets executive, signaling growing Wall Street interest in tokenization and blockchain infrastructure.
