Visa survey: 56% of US users would adopt stablecoins with stronger fraud protection

Visa has published new survey results indicating that enhanced fraud protection and insurance at the level of traditional banks could significantly increase stablecoin adoption for cross-border payments among US consumers.

Survey findings on user trust and adoption

In a study conducted between February and March, Visa partnered with research firm Morning Consult to survey 2,192 people in the United States. The findings revealed that general willingness to adopt stablecoins currently stands at 36%. However, Visa reported that projected adoption rates could climb to 56% if protections such as bank-level fraud prevention and deposit insurance are in place.

Participants were asked about financial concepts related to stablecoins and cross-border transactions. Many respondents expressed a desire for quicker and more cost-effective ways to send money internationally, suggesting pent-up demand for innovation in this area.

Trust in a payment method emerged as a key factor for adoption. According to Visa, 64% of respondents stated that they place more importance on the entity offering the payment service than on the underlying technology. When stablecoins are provided through familiar financial service providers, willingness to use them increases from 36% to 45%.

Participants indicated that trust in stablecoins is strongly tied to the reputation of the payment provider, with interest in adoption rising notably if existing financial institutions offer these services with protections similar to those seen at banks.

Regulatory developments in the US

The survey findings come as the US prepares for the potential implementation of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. This bill awaits final regulatory rules and is expected to come into effect in January 2027.

Currently, stablecoins do not offer the same protections as traditional bank accounts—such as fraud protection or deposit insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). GENIUS is not expected to mandate FDIC-style insurance for stablecoins but aims to provide clearer guidelines to address illegal activities and improve market standards.

Mini dictionary: GENIUS Act, a proposed US law aiming to establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins, covering guidelines for issuer operations and anti-illicit activity measures.

European Union moves on stablecoin reserves

Meanwhile, the European System of Central Banks is advocating changes to stablecoin reserve rules for banks across the European Union. On Tuesday, the group called for modifying the requirement that stablecoin issuers must hold at least 30% of their reserves as bank deposits, or 60% for tokens deemed “significant.” The group proposed introducing specific liquidity thresholds instead, warning that strict deposit requirements could expose banks to risks if many users withdraw funds simultaneously.

These proposed amendments are part of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, which began enforcing stablecoin-related policies in June 2024. MiCA is the first major regulatory framework in the European Union establishing clear rules for digital assets and stablecoins.

According to Decta, a payments infrastructure company, euro-pegged stablecoins that comply with MiCA regulations saw their combined market capitalization more than double from 2025 to 2026, ahead of the transition period’s conclusion. The global stablecoin market remains dominated by US dollar-based tokens such as USDC and USDT, which together hold approximately $260 billion in market value.

*Exact figures not provided in survey

Visa highlighted that guidelines and consumer protections could be essential to building trust and driving broader adoption of digital payment technologies such as stablecoins.