Fragmented regulations limit stablecoin adoption in international finance: WTO head
Summary
Stablecoin adoption in international trade is being held back more by fragmented regulation than by technology. A WTO official said stablecoins could help reduce trade-finance frictions such as high costs, slow settlement, limited access, poor transparency, and foreign-exchange constraints, but uneven regulatory frameworks are limiting broader use. A cited Financial Stability Board report found only 11 of 28 jurisdictions surveyed had finalized stablecoin rules. Despite strong growth in cross-border stablecoin payments—up 35-fold from 2020 to mid-2024—stablecoins still make up only about 3% of total international payments.
