Stablecoins in Modern Payment Systems: The Economic Essence, Areas of Use, and Market Structure

Анотація

The rapid development of financial technologies and the spread of blockchain infrastructure have contributed to the emergence of new digital financial assets, among which stablecoins hold an important place. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, they are characterized by relative price stability, which is ensured by pegging to fiat currencies, commodity assets, or the use of algorithmic mechanisms for regulating token supply, creating conditions for their use in payment systems, international settlements, and decentralized financial services. The aim of the article is to study the economic essence of stablecoins, determine their role in modern payment systems, and analyze trends in the development of the stable digital asset market based on an assessment of their market capitalization. In the course of the research, general scientific and specialized methods of scientific knowledge were used, in particular methods of system analysis, generalization, comparative analysis, and structural study of the crypto-asset market. The article examines approaches to the classification of stablecoins depending on the type of their backing, in particular fiat-backed, commodity-backed, crypto-backed, and algorithmic stablecoins. The main directions of the use of stablecoins in the modern financial infrastructure are identified, including cryptocurrency exchanges, decentralized finance platforms, and cross-border payments. A comparative analysis of traditional payment systems and payment systems based on stablecoins was carried out, which made it possible to determine their advantages in transaction speed, global accessibility, and reduction of transaction costs. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the market structure of stablecoins. It was found that at the beginning of 2026, the total capitalization of this segment exceeds USD 300 billion, which indicates its rapid growth. At the same time, the market is characterized by a high level of capital concentration, as more than 80% of its volume is concentrated in the two largest stablecoins, namely USDT and USDC. As a result of the study, it was concluded that stablecoins are gradually transforming from an auxiliary tool of cryptocurrency trading into an important element of the global payment infrastructure. A further development of this segment will depend on the improvement of regulatory mechanisms, increased transparency of reserve backing, and the integration of stablecoins into the traditional financial system.

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