Stablecoins Set to Redefine Global Payments as AI Drives Adoption

The shift toward stablecoins is being positioned as a foundational change in the global payments landscape, with the U.S. Congress passing the GENIUS Act to establish the first federal framework for stablecoins and define them as payment instruments [1]. Shan Aggarwal, a prominent voice in the crypto industry, argues that the current perception underestimates the speed and impact of this transition, particularly in how artificial intelligence will accelerate it [1]. He emphasizes that stablecoins are not just a niche experiment but a potential backbone of the global financial system, much like past innovations such as the internet and cloud computing [1].

Aggarwal draws historical parallels between the rise of stablecoins and earlier economic transformations, such as irrigation systems, railroads, and TCP/IP protocols, which all began as niche technologies and eventually became the infrastructure of their respective eras [1]. He describes the current moment as a tipping point for stablecoins, one that is only the beginning of a broader financial evolution. Major financial players, including banks, fintech companies, and payment networks, are already adapting to this shift by integrating stablecoins into their operations [1].

A key argument in Aggarwal’s analysis is that traditional financial systems—such as wire transfers and ACH—are fundamentally outdated and inefficient in the modern digital age [1]. He highlights how stablecoins offer instant settlement, borderless reach, low costs, and programmable design, features that legacy infrastructure cannot match [1]. These advantages make stablecoins uniquely positioned to modernize money movement, enabling faster, cheaper, and more automated transactions across global markets [1].

Furthermore, Aggarwal envisions a future where stablecoins underpin AI-native commerce, allowing sovereign AI agents to operate using decentralized money on blockchain infrastructure [1]. This development could revolutionize machine-to-machine transactions, treasury flows, and automated commerce, making stablecoins the native currency of the AI economy [1]. He notes that the potential economic impact is significant, as stablecoins could unlock trillions in latent economic activity and contribute to global GDP growth by full percentage points annually [1].

Despite recent progress, Aggarwal stresses that the opportunity is still in its early stages. The stablecoin market cap, while currently over $280 billion, is dwarfed by the U.S. M2 money supply, which exceeds $20 trillion [1]. This discrepancy suggests that the full-scale adoption of stablecoins has yet to materialize, and the transition will likely be gradual and quiet, much like the adoption of cloud computing [1]. In a few years, he predicts, stablecoins will be so integrated into daily financial life that people will no longer explicitly reference their use—just as they no longer say they are “using cloud computing” to store photos [1].

The platforms that will benefit most from this transition are those that operate behind the scenes—providers of liquidity, infrastructure, and trust [1]. Aggarwal expects fintech companies to leverage stablecoins for global reach and instant settlement, governments to eventually adopt them for critical economic functions, and AI agents to natively interact with stablecoins [1]. This transition is not driven by speculative hype, he argues, but by a necessary upgrade to the current financial system [1]. Stablecoins represent more than just a better form of money; they are the gateway to a global, open, and programmable financial system [1].

Aggarwal’s insights suggest that the stablecoin layer is not just the most important sector within crypto but the foundation of the future of digital currency [1]. As AI continues to evolve and integrate with financial systems, the role of stablecoins is likely to expand, reshaping commerce, finance, and global money movement in ways that are only beginning to be understood [1].

Source: [1] GENIUS was just the prologue. Stablecoins represent a platform shift in payments. The stage is set. (https://www.coindesk.com/opinion/2025/08/23/genius-was-just-the-prologue-stablecoins-represent-a-platform-shift-in-payments-the-stage-is-set)