Stablecoin-funded remittances remain significantly cheaper than traditional money transfer methods, particularly in emerging markets, as payment volumes continue to grow globally. New data from Borderless.xyz, a stablecoin payments platform, underscores this advantage and sheds light on broader trends shaping the digital dollar landscape.
Major fee savings across regions
Borderless.xyz reported that sending a $200 remittance via stablecoin payment channels carried a median cost of just 1%, equating to $2. In contrast, traditional remittance services charged a median fee of 6.36%, or $12.72, according to World Bank data for similar routes. This comparison, based on third-quarter 2026 figures from Borderless and 2025 numbers from the World Bank, suggests stablecoin remittances are roughly 84% more cost-effective for users.
The cost advantage is even more pronounced in certain emerging markets. In Sub-Saharan Africa, stablecoin remittances were priced at 2.9%, compared with 8.46% for conventional transfers. In Latin America, these respective rates stood at 1.25% for stablecoins and 5.64% for traditional methods.
For larger business payments, the price gap also stood out. Borderless.xyz noted that a $10,000 stablecoin transfer to the eurozone could cost as little as $26 when utilizing the most cost-efficient provider. Median fees across all corridors were $52. By comparison, sending the same amount by international wire transfer through a bank typically costs between $135 and $150, including transfer charges and a 1% foreign exchange margin.
| Remittance Type | Amount | Cost (%) | Cost ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stablecoin (Global median) | $200 | 1.0% | $2.00 |
| Traditional (Global median) | $200 | 6.36% | $12.72 |
| Stablecoin (Sub-Saharan Africa) | $200 | 2.9% | $5.80 |
| Traditional (Sub-Saharan Africa) | $200 | 8.46% | $16.92 |
| Stablecoin (Latin America) | $200 | 1.25% | $2.50 |
| Traditional (Latin America) | $200 | 5.64% | $11.28 |
Borderless.xyz is a digital payments company specializing in fiat-to-crypto and crypto-to-fiat cross-border transfers for both businesses and individuals.
Mini dictionary: Borderless.xyz, a company focused on streamlining global payments using stablecoin networks, aims to improve affordability and speed for remittances, particularly in emerging markets.
Rapid settlement times, but varying completion rates
Beyond lower fees, the Borderless report highlighted that stablecoin-funded payouts can reach recipients within minutes, depending on the national payment rails involved. In the third quarter, settlements in Brazil through the real-time payments system PIX cleared in a median of two minutes. Transfers in Mexico using the SPEI network took three minutes on average, while Colombia’s PSE processed payments in approximately two minutes as well.
For comparison, conventional international SWIFT payments are notably slower, with most transactions settling the next business day. The slowest 10% of SWIFT transfers reportedly take three business days to arrive.
However, the success rates for payment completion showed variation: Mexico’s SPEI achieved a rate of 98.6%, Brazil’s PIX followed with 97.8%, Colombia’s PSE processed 79%, and Costa Rica’s SINPE network completed 73% of remittances.
Stablecoin-funded payment rails facilitated far quicker settlements to local bank accounts in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia when compared with traditional SWIFT transfers.
Mini dictionary: PIX, SPEI, PSE, and SINPE are electronic payment networks in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Costa Rica, respectively, each enabling near-instant electronic fund transfers between bank accounts in their respective countries.
Stablecoin growth projected despite flat market cap
Despite minimal expansion in the total stablecoin market capitalization this year, transaction volumes have continued to rise. Standard Chartered, a major global bank, recently forecast the stablecoin sector will reach a $2 trillion market size by 2030, revising its estimate by two years due to slower uptake than anticipated.
Standard Chartered projected the stablecoin market would reach $2 trillion by 2030, based on sustained transaction growth and broader adoption in the coming years.
