The explosion of stablecoin cards seen from 30x growth: the new narrative of crypto payments in 2026

Stablecoin payment cards are becoming a new focus in the crypto industry. Dragonfly Managing Partner Haseeb Qureshi recently stated that stablecoin-driven payment cards are expected to become one of the core themes of the crypto industry by 2026. This judgment is not unfounded but is based on strong market data growth and the acceleration of institutional-level applications.

Turning Point from Innovation to Mainstream

The core value of stablecoin payment cards lies in combining the convenience of traditional payments with the efficiency advantages of blockchain. Compared to traditional payment methods, stablecoin cards enable rapid settlements within seconds and significantly reduce cross-border payment costs, allowing crypto technology to be more deeply integrated into the global payment system.

This integration is already generating tangible market responses. Stablecoin payment startup Rain recently completed a $250 million funding round, with a post-money valuation of $1.95 billion. More noteworthy are the underlying data: by 2025, Rain’s active card count will have increased by approximately 30 times, and its annualized payment volume will have expanded nearly 40 times, making it one of the fastest-growing fintech companies.

Market Demand Validated by Data

What do these numbers indicate? The market demand for stablecoin payment cards far exceeds expectations. Rain is currently working with Visa to issue stablecoin payment cards in over 150 countries, supporting mainstream stablecoins like USDT and USDC, covering multiple blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Solana, Tron, and Stellar.

The lineup of investors in this funding round also reflects market confidence. ICONIQ led the investment, with participation from Sapphire Ventures, Dragonfly, Bessemer, Lightspeed, Galaxy Ventures, and other top institutions. This means that not only crypto funds are optimistic about this direction, but traditional fintech investors are also increasing their investments.

Imagination of Market Scale

Bloomberg Intelligence’s forecast paints a larger picture for this sector. By 2030, the stablecoin payment scale is expected to grow to $56.6 trillion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 81%. How big is this number? In comparison, the global stablecoin trading volume reached $33 trillion in 2025, setting a new record.

This indicates that the growth potential of stablecoin payment scale remains enormous, and payment cards, as the direct interface for users to access stablecoins, will become a key vehicle for this growth.

Signal of Institutional-Grade Applications

More critically, institutional-grade applications are accelerating their launch. Western Union plans to launch a stablecoin settlement system on Solana in the first half of 2026, along with stablecoin cards, focusing on emerging markets. This is the first large-scale attempt by traditional financial giants at stablecoin payment cards, marking a transition from innovation to mainstream application in this sector.

Progress in Regulatory Frameworks

Policy developments are also paving the way for the industry. The US has passed the GENIUS Act, and the UK and Canada also plan to advance stablecoin regulatory frameworks around 2026. Clear regulatory frameworks will further reduce the risks for institutions entering the space and accelerate the commercialization of stablecoin payment cards.

Summary

Stablecoin payment cards becoming a key theme in the crypto industry by 2026 is not just a prediction but an inevitable trend supported by data. Rain’s 30-fold and 40-fold growth validate market demand, Bloomberg’s forecast depicts long-term potential, and the deployment by institutions like Western Union signals a shift toward application-level adoption. Coupled with the gradual improvement of regulatory frameworks, stablecoin payment cards are indeed likely to become a new focus of the crypto industry by 2026. The key question is no longer “whether,” but “when.”