StableCoin

This article explores how reciprocal tariff policies affect global financial markets through macroeconomic transmission mechanisms. It further analyzes their impact on the ecosystems of stablecoins, real-world assets (RWAs), and decentralized finance (DeFi), examining both the underlying mechanisms and the potential risks and opportunities involved.

Gate Research: The depreciation of the USD is the result of long-term shifts in real purchasing power, fiscal dynamics, and real interest rates. Regulatory constraints within the traditional banking system have created offshore demand for dollars, which stablecoins are increasingly absorbing. The quality of collateral, transparency, and issuer credibility are becoming the key determinants of stablecoins’ price stability, liquidity priority, and long-term capital preference. Looking ahead to 2026, stablecoins are more likely to function as a “reservoir” and distribution layer for dollars, with their reserve-driven demand for short-term treasuries in turn beginning to influence the dollar’s own pricing structure.

This report highlights that as of August 2025, the global stablecoin market capitalization has reached $280 billion, with annual on-chain settlement volumes surpassing $30 trillion. Stablecoins are evolving from mere crypto trading instruments into global financial infrastructure. This explosive growth is driven by regulatory implementation and the entry of major enterprises. The enactment of the GENIUS Act, the Stablecoin Bill, and the MiCA Regulation mark the beginning of a “compliance grand era” for stablecoins. Their model has advanced into a “Peg + Yield + Application” triad, expanding across payments, yield generation, and real-world applications. At the same time, competition has shifted from “token battles” to “infrastructure battles,” with players such as Tether, Circle, Stripe, and Alchemy Pay building proprietary blockchains to capture dominance in payments and settlements.

This report highlights that PayFi, leveraging stablecoins as its underlying medium, integrates accounts, clearing and settlement, yield management, and compliance into a unified framework—enabling a paradigm shift from “payments” to “finance.” Its innovative BNPN model allows payment flows to automatically generate yield, breaking the long-standing issue of “idle capital.” The report estimates that PayFi’s serviceable market could reach $25–30 trillion, with its obtainable market projected to achieve hundreds of billions in transaction volume and generate billions in revenue within the next 3–5 years. Powered by four core engines—low-fee high-frequency transactions, yield generation from settlement funds, institutional-grade financial services, and modular PaaS offerings—PayFi is poised to become the next-generation payment infrastructure bridging Web2 and Web3, ushering in a yield-driven era of crypto payments.

This report systematically reviews the current status and regulatory developments of the global stablecoin market, focusing on legislative trends in major economies such as the United States and Hong Kong since 2025. Currently, the global stablecoin market capitalization exceeds USD 260 billion, with over 170 million users worldwide, spreading across more than 80 countries and regions, making stablecoins an essential part of the digital financial infrastructure. In 2025, the United States passed the Genius Act and Clarity Act, while Hong Kong issued the Stablecoin Ordinance, marking the official entry of global stablecoins into a strongly regulated era.

This report reviews the explosive logic behind DeFi Summer and systematically analyzes PayFi’s core concepts, protocol ecosystems, application scenarios, and potential catalysts, exploring whether it has the potential to trigger a new wave of on-chain financial enthusiasm—“PayFi Summer.” Unlike DeFi Summer, PayFi focuses more on addressing real-world payment pain points and delivering long-term sustainable value. It is driven by strategic capital, targets a mass user base, and originates within a stricter regulatory environment. Therefore, its “Summer” is more likely to be a moderate, enduring transformation that profoundly reshapes global payment infrastructure, rather than a short-term speculative frenzy.

This report systematically examines the mechanism design and user yield pathways of yield-bearing stablecoins. By analyzing representative projects such as USDe, USDS, and USDY, the report distills the core logic and strategic framework behind stablecoin Alpha in the current market environment, helping investors identify high-quality opportunities with risk-adjusted return potential. It emphasizes that stablecoin Alpha is not simply about high yields, but rather a structured, sustainable, and incentive-driven return system. Yield sources span on-chain arbitrage, off-chain assets, mechanism innovation, and ecosystem incentives. The report also underscores the importance of managing key risks—such as liquidation, liquidity constraints, and protocol security—while pursuing enhanced returns.

This report thoroughly examines the stablecoin market, providing a detailed analysis of its current state, use cases, competitive dynamics, and regulatory landscape. It covers the strengths, challenges, and future prospects of established stablecoins and emerging projects, offering valuable insights for investment decisions. The report explores how stablecoins are crucial in crypto trading, cross-border payments, and the DeFi ecosystem, and delves into their technological innovations and market potential.

Over the past decade, crypto trading demand has soared, with 2021 transaction volumes exceeding $24 trillion, leading to a significant increase in the number of CEXs and DEXs. While CEXs still dominate, DEX market share has grown from 0.33% in 2020 to 11.91% in 2024, showing strong growth potential. DEX platforms excel in niche assets and cross-chain trading, while CEXs enhance user experience through Web3 integration. With TradFi entering the market, crypto trading is poised for new growth momentum.