Stablecoin-financed remittances reinforce one of the key use cases for digital dollars as payment activity grows in traditional money transfers, particularly in emerging markets.
According to a new third-quarter report from Borderless.xyz, a stablecoin payments network, the average cost of sending a $200 remittance through stablecoin-funded payments rails is 1%, or $2, compared to 6.36%, or $12.72, for traditional remittances, based on data from the World Bank.
The difference makes stablecoin-powered remittances about 84% cheaper, although the comparison uses Borderless’ third-quarter 2026 prices and World Bank data for the same period in 2025.
Savings in emerging markets are also substantial. In sub-Saharan Africa, stablecoin-financed remittances cost 2.9%, compared to 8.46% for traditional transfers. In Latin America, the costs are 1.25% and 5.64%, respectively.
Business payments made through stablecoins are also significantly cheaper, according to the report. A $10,000 stablecoin-financed transfer in the eurozone costs as little as $26 when sent through the lowest-cost provider, compared to $52 across all corridors for the median provider.
In comparison, a traditional international bank wire costs between $135 and $150 for the same amount, including transfer fees and a 1% foreign exchange margin.
Stablecoins offer significant cost savings on large business transactions. Source: Borderless.xyz
Related: MasterCard brings stable coin balances to traditional banking and card payments.
Stablecoin payouts settle within minutes, but reliability varies.
In addition to cost savings, the Borderless report found that depending on the payment network used, stablecoin-financed payments can reach recipients’ local bank accounts within minutes.
In Brazil, payments through the PIX network settled in a median of two minutes during the third quarter, while Mexico’s SPEI network took three minutes. Colombia’s PSE network also recorded a median settlement time of two minutes.
By comparison, traditional SWIFT transfers are usually settled the next business day, with the slowest 10% taking three business days.
However, payment completion rates varied considerably. Mexico’s SPEI network successfully completed 98.6% of payments, followed by Brazil’s PIX at 97.8%. Colombia’s PSE network completed 79%, while Costa Rica’s SINPE recorded a completion rate of only 73%.
The findings come as stablecoin transaction activity continues to increase. Standard Chartered recently highlighted rising transaction volume despite relatively flat growth in overall stablecoin market capitalization this year. The bank expects the market to reach $2 trillion by 2030, two years later than its previous forecast.
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