Stablecoin Adoption Surges as Crypto Payroll Goes Mainstream

The growing trend of crypto payroll has led to an increase in stablecoin adoption, particularly for off-ramping digital tokens into local fiat currencies. Mercuryo's data shows that during the first half of 2026, USD Coin (USDC) and tether tokens (USDt) accounted for 57% of all accepted off-ramp transactions, up from 25% a year earlier.

According to Rise's 2025 Crypto Payroll Report, 25% of businesses already use crypto for payroll, with over $1 billion in payroll volume processed by Rise. The report also found that more than half of worker withdrawals occur in stablecoins across the 190-plus countries it supports.

The benefits of receiving salaries in stablecoins include low-cost and high-speed transfers, which can help preserve purchasing power in countries with high levels of inflation. This trend is reflected in Mercuryo's data, which shows that stablecoin transaction volumes grew far faster than those of other cryptocurrencies, with the number of stablecoin off-ramp transactions rising 446% year on year.