Major financial institutions invest $5.15 billion in stablecoin ecosystems, traditional banking giants accelerate entry into Web3 payments

SignatureVerifier · 2026-01-23T01:52:11+00:00

A commercial bank acquires a fintech unicorn for $5.15 billion. The transaction will be completed with 50% cash and 50% stock, expected to close in 2026. The acquired company plans to launch a stablecoin payment feature, indicating that traditional finance is accelerating its blockchain initiatives, and the future trends of payments and settlements are becoming increasingly blurred.

SignatureVerifier

2026-01-23 01:52:11

Abstract generation in progress

【ChainWen】Big moves are coming from the fintech sector. A well-known commercial bank and a payment solutions provider announced they will acquire a rapidly growing fintech unicorn through a 50/50 cash and stock deal valued at $5.15 billion. After the transaction is completed, the acquired company will be integrated into the parent company’s banking and payment business units, with an expected official launch by mid-2026.

Notably, the acquired company had previously announced a key plan—launching an instant payment feature for its native stablecoin. This indicates that traditional financial institutions are accelerating their deployment in the blockchain payments space. Stablecoins, serving as a bridge between traditional finance and the Web3 ecosystem, are expanding their application scenarios from cross-border transfers to commercial payments, attracting more and more large financial institutions to participate.

This acquisition reflects a broader trend: the boundaries between traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem are blurring, and the future of payments and settlements may no longer follow a single path.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

14 Likes

Reward
14
6
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

EthMaximalist

· 01-26 00:38

5.15 billion invested in stablecoins? Traditional finance is finally taking it seriously This feels much better; big institutions entering the market makes a difference Wait, it won't be implemented until 2026? How long do we have to wait? Whether it's a scam or not, and whether you can make money, let's see Turns out it's through stablecoins, which is indeed the most pragmatic choice

View OriginalReply0

ZenChainWalker

· 01-23 02:18

5.15 billion invested, big banks finally can't sit still anymore, the game of stablecoins is becoming more and more attractive. Traditional finance is trying to copy our homework, but on the other hand, we have to wait until 2026. Who knows what the market will look like then? Is it true? Can bank-led stablecoins compare to decentralized ones? Now it's better. The more big sharks enter the market, the more intense the competition. Do retail investors still have a chance... Instead of waiting for them, it's better to get on board yourself. Anyway, the track has already been laid out. Banks playing Web3 payments, it feels a bit familiar.

View OriginalReply0

LiquiditySurfer

· 01-23 02:17

5.15 billion poured in just to ride this wave of stablecoins, traditional finance finally can't sit still anymore The big banks are really ready to play this time, but it won't be implemented until 2026, which makes the timing quite interesting LPs should pay attention to this arbitrage opportunity; signals of large capital entering are becoming increasingly obvious Once you understand, the reason financial institutions are deploying stablecoins is to grab the market-making cake—this is the real truth of the game With so much money, waiting two more years indicates that on-chain infrastructure still needs further refinement. Let's keep surfing The convergence point between traditional finance and the on-chain world has finally appeared, but the true liquidity depth is still far away A bet of 5.15 billion—this is the real attitude of capital, much more reliable than those "research reports" The idea of stablecoins becoming a bridge has been discussed for a long time, but this time it's truly backed by real money pushing it forward When large institutions enter, it usually means the arbitrage window is closing. Early birds should consider defensive strategies

View OriginalReply0

VirtualRichDream

· 01-23 02:10

5.15 billion invested, traditional banks can't sit still anymore, stablecoins are really about to take off --- Wait, it's not until 2026 to be implemented? By then, the market will have changed again, this bet is a bit risky --- Honestly, it's still about the money. Web3 is just too tempting --- Now even big banks are playing with stablecoins, retail investors are still debating whether to trust them, is the gap really that big? --- Cross-border payments are indeed a pain point. If stablecoins can solve this, it would be incredible --- Mergers and acquisitions are never wrong; this strategy is just a steady business --- I'm a bit confused. If you're optimistic, why wait until 2026 for the official launch? This pace is a bit slow --- Traditional finance entering Web3 feels like they're just here to support us, and it strangely feels really satisfying

View OriginalReply0

BearMarketLightning

· 01-23 02:05

5.15 billion spent just for that stablecoin traffic? Traditional finance still hasn't figured it out Traditional finance is really panicking now, they see us having fun and want a piece of the pie, but the bigger picture is still too small It's already 2026 again, I’ve memorized this routine, will it end in a flop again? Stablecoins are hot, but is this money worth it... I really want to see how they mess this up Banks entering Web3 is just a new excuse to cut the leeks, don’t be fooled everyone Making such a big move, honestly, they’re just afraid of being defeated, which is laughable This is true all-in, compared to us retail investors, we’re really just playing around 5.15 billion to tell a story, wake up everyone

View OriginalReply0

JustAnotherWallet

· 01-23 01:56

Oh no, traditional finance is starting to play with stablecoins. This time, it's really different. 5.15 billion invested, bank-affiliated institutions are also starting to get involved in Web3 payments? Let's see if it can truly be implemented by 2026. It doesn't feel like those previous false alarms; this time they're serious. Do our independent stablecoins still have to rely on these big institutions to promote? That's a bit ironic. But on the other hand, this is indeed a turning point, and the demand for bridges has increased.

View OriginalReply0