Mainstream fintech companies are reassessing opportunities in the crypto sector.

PayPal has already launched the PYUSD stablecoin and is now deepening its integration with blockchain, migrating payment integration on-chain. Stripe's approach is similar but more aggressive — while betting on stablecoin infrastructure, they're designing their own payment-oriented blockchain to fundamentally restructure payment processes from the ground up. Klarna's strategy is issuing its own stablecoin to optimize merchant settlement efficiency and reduce cross-border payment costs. Revolut is also exploring in this direction.

It appears 2026 will become a critical time window for fintech companies to collectively enter the space. These companies share two common characteristics: first, they all control massive payment data and user bases; second, they all have substantive investments in blockchain infrastructure. In other words, they are no longer observers, but genuinely transforming payment networks with real capital.

Stablecoins have become the common entry point for this wave. Why? Because stablecoins solve crypto payments' biggest pain point — volatility. For merchants and consumers, being able to settle quickly with stablecoins is what matters most. This may mark a turning point where crypto payments transition from idealism to pragmatism.