71% of Stablecoin Holders Would Spend via Debit Cards
Stablecoins, typically pegged to assets such as the U.S. dollar, have gained traction as lower-volatility tools for cross-border transfers and payments rather than purely speculative holdings. PYMNTS Intelligence and issuer processor Paymentology said the industry’s next test is whether digital assets can be spent as easily as fiat money. The shift matters because consumer utility, merchant reach and familiar payment experiences will determine whether stablecoins move into mainstream commerce.
A July 2026 Payments Innovation Tracker found that 45% of stablecoin holders convert tokens into local currency and 27% already spend them directly on goods and services. Another 71% said they would use a linked debit card. Demand still exceeds actual use: 42% want to deploy digital assets for major purchases, while only 28% currently do so. Limited merchant acceptance, transaction costs and fragmented user experiences remain key barriers, even as crypto-card spending reached an annualized $18 billion by late 2025.
All Coverage
1 original reportsThe Backstory
The history behind this eventCrypto Card Spending Tops $750 Million as Stablecoins Go Mainstream
Crypto payment cards connect digital assets such as USDC and USDT with established card networks, allowing users to spend stablecoin balances at conventional merchants. Their growth is closely watched as a gauge of whether cryptocurrencies are moving beyond trading, investment and cross-border transfers into routine retail payments, where price stability and broad merchant acceptance are critical.
Spending on crypto payment cards reached $759 million in July, according to the latest data from venture-capital firm a16z crypto. The cards processed nearly 8.8 million transactions during the month, with both spending and transaction volumes rising significantly from a year earlier. USDC and USDT together accounted for more than 80% of purchases, underscoring stablecoins’ dominant role in crypto-funded consumer payments.
Crypto Card Monthly Spending Tops $600 Million as Stablecoin Payments Move Into Everyday Use
Stablecoins were once used mainly to move funds between exchanges and settle on-chain transactions. Crypto payment cards now use established networks such as Visa to connect assets including USDT directly to purchases at physical merchants. Data from Memento Research shows these services are expanding beyond the crypto market and becoming an important bridge between on-chain funds and everyday payments.
The latest Memento Research data shows monthly crypto card spending has exceeded $600 million, reaching $650 million under some measures, or about six times the year-earlier level. A separate comparison shows volume rose 230% from 2025. USDT accounts for 62.5% of settlement assets, Visa processes about 90% of merchant transaction volume, and Jupiter’s monthly volume increased 6.6-fold.
Subscribe to Mark Radar Weekly
Every Friday, the week's strongest signals in your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime.