The Standardization Revolution in the Digital World: The Rise of Stablecoins

On April 26, 1956, an old tanker named "Ideal X" slowly departed from Newark port. This seemingly ordinary vessel carried 58 standardized metal containers, marking the beginning of a new era in global trade. Although this innovation did not attract widespread attention at the time, it has since been recognized by historians as a significant event on par with the steam engine and the internet.

These metal boxes, known as containers, have completely transformed the structure of the global supply chain. They have not only significantly reduced transportation costs but also greatly improved efficiency. According to data, the use of containers has reduced loading and unloading costs from $5.86 per ton to $0.16, a reduction of over 97%. Port operation times have also been shortened from 72 hours to under 8 hours, with turnover rates increasing by more than 8 times.

The standardization of containers has far-reaching impacts. It has reshaped the global trade pattern, driven China's export miracle, spurred the rise of manufacturing in Southeast Asia, and formed the global supply chain model. This seemingly simple metal box has restructured the entire logic of production and distribution on Earth over the course of twenty years.

Similarly, in the digital world, another "standard" is quietly emerging - stablecoin. Although it was initially considered to be "devoid of technical content", its influence is increasingly becoming apparent. The goal of stablecoin is not to change the essence of currency, but to provide a unified interface for global currency circulation.

The advantage of stablecoins lies in their on-chain liquidity. They facilitate settlement scenarios across chains, countries, and accounts, significantly improving transaction efficiency and reducing costs. According to statistics, by 2025, the global on-chain transaction volume of stablecoins is expected to exceed $27 trillion, approaching the annual total of the global card payment system.

Stablecoins are still playing an important role in financial inclusion. For the 1.7 billion adults worldwide without a bank account, stablecoins provide a simple way to access financial services. In some economically unstable countries, stablecoins have even become an alternative currency, serving as a safe haven against inflation.

From cross-border payments to Web3 on-chain protocol settlements, and then to AI agent smart settlement accounts, stablecoins are becoming the "containers" of the digital world. They are not the focus of the financial revolution, but rather the infrastructure that supports the operation of the financial system.

Currently, stablecoins are still in the early stages of development. Regulatory authorities in various countries are still assessing their legality, and traditional financial institutions view them as temporary tools. However, the transformation has quietly begun. Hong Kong has passed stablecoin regulations, and the United States is also advancing compliant issuance. Payment giants are announcing compatibility with stablecoins, and digital banks primarily based on stablecoins have emerged in Africa and Latin America.

Stablecoins are moving from the cryptocurrency sphere to the payment field, from payments to applications, and then to the protocol layer. They have the potential to become a universal interface for the global internet economy. Although stablecoins may not replace central bank currencies, they are likely to become the foundational settlement protocol for collaboration and value circulation among emerging technology fields such as Web3, AI, and IoT.

Just as containers have changed the way goods are transported globally, stablecoins may reshape the boundaries of clearing, collaboration, and financial coverage. The future global clearing network may consist of algorithms, smart contracts, and consensus mechanisms, and its underlying circulating units are likely to be these code-defined digital "containers."

Despite being relatively unknown, stablecoins are quietly changing the landscape of global finance. They may not be the most eye-catching invention, but they could become one of the most influential financial standards.