a16z Says Stablecoins Are Evolving Into 'Programmable Money'

Andreessen Horowitz's a16z crypto says the term “stablecoin” originated as a defensive label in the crypto industry's early years, when price volatility was a central concern. As the technology matures, maintaining a stable value has become a baseline requirement. The real value is shifting toward round-the-clock cross-border settlement and programmable features embedded in a wide range of applications.

As of July 19, 2026, a16z crypto's latest commentary argued that these assets should instead be understood as “programmable money,” emphasizing instant settlement, cross-border transfers and automatically executed transactions. The three related reports disclosed no specific market value or investment amount and did not state the commentary's exact publication date.