Coins.ph: 5 ways Stablecoin remittances transform cross-border payments

Coins.ph explained 5 ways Stablecoin remittances are revolutionizing cross-border payments.

Coins.ph and Stablecoin banner

Learning the advantages of Stablecoin

The World Bank claimed that global remittances are estimated at over USD 900 billion in 2024, with a large share flowing into low and middle-income countries such as India, Mexico, China, and the Philippines.

For receiving economies, these flows are a source of foreign exchange and can provide liquidity. These funds are often used for needs like food, healthcare, education, and small businesses.

For workers sending remittances, traditional banking systems can be slow and costly.

Stablecoins, digital currencies pegged to assets like the U.S. dollar, are introducing speed and cost-efficiency to cross-border payments. The combined market capitalization of the two largest stablecoins, USDC and USDT, reached over USD 260 billion in 2025, having roughly doubled since the start of 2023.

Analysts project the total stablecoin market cap could move toward USD 2 trillion by 2028, driven largely by payment use cases and institutional adoption.

Coins.ph, a crypto exchange in the Philippines, has expanded its stablecoin infrastructure through partnerships with companies such as BCRemit, Hashkey, Hi-Globe, and FinFan. 

This network creates payment corridors between markets like Hong Kong, Vietnam, the UK, the US, Canada, the European Union, and the Philippines, allowing senders to bypass traditional bank intermediaries.

We are aggressively supporting stablecoin remittances because they solve the fundamental problems of cost and time that plague millions of migrant workers. Stablecoins offer a pathway to near-instant, compliant transfers at a fraction of the current cost, ensuring more of that hard-earned funds reach home. This isn't just an improvement—it's the potential for a massive, equitable shift that truly empowers the Filipino diaspora, says Wei Zhou, Coins.ph Chief Executive Officer.

Here are five ways stablecoin remittances are affecting cross-border payments, particularly for emerging markets:

1. Reduction in transaction costs - A benefit for migrant workers is lower fees. Traditional remittance costs through banks and money transfer operators average 6.62 percent globally as of Q3 2024, according to the World Bank. This is more than twice the UN Sustainable Development Goal Target 10.c of reducing costs to less than 3 percent by 2030.

Stablecoin remittances, using blockchain networks, bypass multiple intermediary banks, reducing cost. In some corridors, stablecoin transaction costs can be under 1 percent of the transfer value. This is notable for countries like the Philippines, where remittances are an economic factor. In 2023, USD 38.34 billion was sent by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

2. Settlement speed and 24/7 availability - Traditional cross-border payments can take 3 to 5 business days to settle due to banking hours and batch processing.

Stablecoin transfers on a blockchain are typically finalized within minutes, regardless of location or time zone. This 24/7 capability allows funds to reach recipients in countries like the Philippines, Pakistan, and India more quickly.

Zhou commented on the shift, asserting that "Stablecoins are leading the digital transformation of cross-border payments. By adopting stablecoin rails for remittances, we are enabling near real-time, low-cost transfers that offer overseas Filipinos and their families greater value, transparency, and financial freedom.

3. Financial Inclusion for the Unbanked - In many emerging markets, a portion of the population does not have access to traditional banking services, which often require formal accounts or physical branches.

Stablecoins require only a mobile device and a digital wallet to send and receive funds. This allows migrant workers to send money to family members who may not have a bank account, providing a digital store of value pegged to a stable currency. This is one reason emerging markets like the Philippines and Brazil are seeing growth in crypto adoption.

4. Mitigation of Foreign Exchange (FX) risk - The traditional system can involve hidden fees and currency conversion losses as funds pass through multiple intermediaries.

Stablecoins pegged to the USD solve two key problems: they provide a stable medium for remittances, insulating value from volatile FX rates, and they also function as an accessible, dollar-based savings tool in economies with weak local currencies.

5. Enabling new, programmable Financial services - Beyond simple transfers, stablecoins create a programmable foundation for financial services. Transactions are digital and settled on a ledger.

This programmability allows for services like automated micropayments, real-time payroll for remote workers, and conditional payments. For companies operating in markets across Southeast Asia and Africa, stablecoin rails can offer a mechanism for treasury management and vendor payouts.

A shift in global finance

The rise of stablecoin remittances represents a shift in global finance. With the savings, speed, and access they offer, stablecoins provide an alternative to traditional systems.

As regulatory frameworks develop globally, the use of stablecoins is expected to grow, potentially allowing migrant workers and their families in emerging markets to retain more of their funds and receive them more quickly.

To learn more about Coin's stablecoin partnership, you may head to the official coins.ph website and its Facebook page.

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