Visa Survey: Nearly half of Asia-Pacific consumers may use stablecoins within five years

A survey released by Visa shows that consumer interest in stablecoins is rising in the Asia-Pacific region. The survey covered 14,250 respondents, of which 46% indicated they might use stablecoins in the next five years, while the actual usage rate in the past 12 months was 16%. About 49% of respondents believe that stablecoins are likely to become a common method for cross-border transfers within five years. Nischint Sanghavi, Visa's head of digital currency for the Asia-Pacific region, stated that consumer perceptions of stablecoins are undergoing a significant shift.

The cognitive gap remains significant. Visa stated that only 6% of respondents accurately understand how stablecoins work, and 49% of those who are aware of stablecoins believe they can only be used for buying and selling cryptocurrencies. Among respondents who are aware of stablecoins but have not yet used them, concerns about fraud and scams are the most frequently mentioned barriers. There are approximately 2.5 billion middle-class consumers in the Asia-Pacific region, with nearly half open to using cryptocurrencies pegged to fiat currencies.

Visa has expanded its stablecoin settlement network and is seeking to support more tokens and blockchains. Its partner Reap is preparing a local currency stablecoin for 24/7 foreign exchange settlements in Asia and other markets, which may include tokens for the Hong Kong dollar, South Korean won, and Japanese yen. Asia currently leads the world in stablecoin capital flows and on-chain activity, with payment companies driving the conversion of related demand into everyday payment products.