Voices In Payments - By PaymentGenes
Stablecoins: Exploring Adoption, Regulation, and Real-World Applications
Episode Summary
In this episode of Voices in Payments, we are joined by Thibault Pelé and Clément Jozwiak from Worldline to take a closer look at the rise of stablecoins and how they are reshaping the payments landscape. Together, we explore what is driving adoption, how regulation is influencing growth, and what the future of money could look like.
Episode Notes
Key Discussion Highlights
- From hype to utility: Why stablecoins have moved beyond speculation and are now being used for real payment applications. The difference between volatile crypto assets and asset-backed stablecoins, and how value stability unlocks everyday use cases.
- Cross-border payments and remittances: How stablecoins reduce costs, settlement delays, and intermediaries. The growing relevance for merchants, treasurers, and consumers sending funds across borders.
- Micropayments and automation: The emergence of use cases such as small online purchases, machine-initiated transactions, and programmable money flows that traditional rails do not support efficiently.
- Industry adoption: The role of fintechs, banks, payment providers, and tech giants. Why companies like Stripe, PayPal, and Circle are taking the lead, and how Visa, Mastercard, and Swift are adapting.
- Regulation and geography: A look at the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom. How the US is encouraging innovation, how MiCA affects European development, and how the UK is positioning itself in between.
- Stablecoins and CBDCs: Why they are seen as complementary rather than competing. CBDCs as a settlement layer and public infrastructure, and stablecoins as programmable and innovation-driven instruments.
- The consumer perspective: Why end users will not need to understand the underlying technology. Wallets, platforms, and apps will hide complexity and make digital money feel familiar.