Tempo Executive Says Crypto Adoption Is Splitting Between Speculation and Stablecoin Payments

The crypto industry has previously sought to broaden everyday use through a range of decentralized applications. But Tempo head of markets Dan Romero said genuine demand is increasingly concentrated at two extremes: speculative trading for returns and the use of stablecoins for cross-border remittances and global payments. The trend reflects an increasingly divided path to industry adoption.

Romero told the 2026 Consensus conference that the crypto market had developed a “barbell” structure, with stablecoin payments at one end and speculative activity at the other. Many experimental projects between those two poles have failed to scale. He disclosed no transaction values or market-share figures but said stablecoins showed the clearest growth momentum in real-world payment use cases.