Stablecoin remittances cost 84% less than traditional transfers, report finds

The savings are also substantial across emerging markets. In Sub-Saharan Africa, stablecoin-funded remittances cost 2.9%, compared with 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-funded transfer to the eurozone costs as little as $26 when routed through the lowest-cost provider, compared with $52 across all corridors at the median provider.

By comparison, a traditional international bank wire costs between $135 and $150 for the same amount, including transfer fees and an assumed 1% foreign-exchange margin.

Stablecoins offer significant cost savings on larger business transactions. Source: Borderless.xyz

Stablecoin payouts settle in minutes, but reliability varies

Beyond cost savings, the Borderless report found that stablecoin-funded payments can reach recipients’ local bank accounts in minutes, depending on the payment network used.

In Brazil, payouts 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 typically 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 payouts, followed by Brazil’s PIX at 97.8%. Colombia’s PSE network completed 79%, while Costa Rica’s SINPE recorded a completion rate of just 73%.

The findings come as stablecoin transaction activity continues to grow. Standard Chartered recently highlighted rising transaction volumes despite relatively flat growth in the overall stablecoin market capitalization this year. The bank expects the market to reach $2 trillion by 2030, two years later than its previous forecast.