Stripe’s Stablecoin Accounts Power Web3 Payments in 101 Nations

On May 7, 2025, global payments leader Stripe introduced Stablecoin Financial Accounts, enabling businesses in 101 countries to hold, send, and receive US dollar-pegged stablecoins, USDC and USDB. These accounts function is similar to traditional fiat bank accounts, supporting crypto and fiat payment rails such as ACH and SEPA. The stablecoin accounts are hosted by Bridge, a stablecoin platform acquired by Stripe for $1.1 billion in October 2024, aiming to simplify cross-border payments and treasury management for businesses, particularly in developing economies.

Details of Stablecoin Financial Accounts

Stripe’s Stablecoin Financial Accounts allow businesses to hold, send, and receive balances in USDC, issued by Circle, and USDB, a new stablecoin from Bridge backed by U.S. dollars and BlackRock’s money market fund. Functioning like traditional fiat bank accounts, the accounts support both crypto payment rails and fiat systems, including ACH, SEPA, and wire transfers, according to Stripe’s documentation. Businesses can receive payments from customers via fiat or crypto channels, convert funds to stablecoins, and send stablecoins to recipients in most global markets, streamlining cross-border transactions.

The accounts are designed for use cases such as corporate treasury management, remittances, and facilitating payments in regions with low credit card penetration. For example, businesses can hold stablecoin balances to hedge against local currency volatility or use them to pay suppliers in developing economies. Stripe’s integration with Bridge’s infrastructure enables near-instant, low-cost transfers compared to traditional systems like SWIFT.

Applicable Regions: Focus on Developing Markets

Stripe’s Stablecoin Financial Accounts are available in 101 countries, primarily developing economies in Latin America, Africa, and parts of Asia, while excluding major markets like the United States, United Kingdom, China, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. This rollout reflects Stripe’s strategic focus on the stablecoin payment market in developing countries, which offers several advantages:

• High Stablecoin Demand: Developing economies, grappling with high inflation, capital controls, and limited banking infrastructure, drive robust stablecoin adoption. In regions like Argentina and Nigeria, businesses rely on stablecoins for remittances and online purchases. For instance, SpaceX uses Bridge’s infrastructure to repatriate Starlink subscriptions in Nigeria, highlighting demand for dollar-based assets.

• Lower Regulatory Barriers: Many developing countries have lighter or no crypto regulations compared to major economies with stringent AML/CFT and stablecoin rules, such as U.S. SEC oversight, China’s crypto bans, or Singapore’s reserve requirements. This reduces compliance costs and enables rapid deployment.

• Financial Inclusion: Stablecoins provide a stable digital currency for unbanked populations in regions with volatile currencies. Stripe’s accounts support businesses in low-card-penetration areas, advancing financial inclusion.

Strategic Context and Market Trends

Stripe’s launch aligns with the $217 billion stablecoin market, projected to reach $3.7 trillion by 2030 with clearer regulations, according prediction from Citi Bank analyst. Supporting USDC and USDB, the accounts cater to corporate treasury, remittances, and cross-border payments, leveraging Bridge’s infrastructure to rival SWIFT in developing economies like Latin America, where Bitso reports growing stablecoin use for online purchases.

Stripe faces heated competition from stablecoin giants like Tether and Circle, as well as new entrants like PayPal’s PYUSD and Custodia Bank’s Avit, a tokenized U.S. dollar deposit launched with Vantage Bank. Tether plans a U.S.-specific stablecoin launch by early 2026, according to CNBC, despite ongoing AML scrutiny. Stripe’s USDB, backed by BlackRock’s fund, positions it as a compliant, institutional-grade player in this crowded market.