Stablecoin Transaction Volumes to Hit $1.5 Quadrillion by 2035

Chainalysis estimates that stablecoins could process an astonishing $1.5 quadrillion in annual transactions by 2035, provided two key factors materialize.

The first is demographic: younger generations, such as Millennials and Gen Z, are expected to inherit approximately $100 trillion in household wealth between 2028 and 2048, with a significantly higher likelihood of holding and using digital assets. According to Chainalysis, nearly half of this age group has already held or currently holds cryptocurrency, citing a 2025 survey from Gemini.

The second factor is commercial integration: as stablecoins become more deeply embedded in merchant checkout systems and back-end payment infrastructure, their use will no longer require deliberate choice by consumers. Chainalysis projects that point-of-sale adoption could contribute an additional $232 trillion annually by 2035, potentially accelerated by AI-driven commerce.

At the current pace, stablecoin payment volumes may match the combined off-chain volumes of Visa and Mastercard between 2031 and 2039, prompting established payment processors to take action. Stripe's acquisition of Bridge for $1.1 billion and Mastercard's purchase of BVNK (valued at up to $1.8 billion) serve as evidence that stablecoin infrastructure is becoming essential rather than experimental.

Standard Chartered predicts that stablecoin growth could generate up to $1 trillion in new demand for U.S. Treasuries, linking payment expansion directly to capital flows. The GENIUS Act, signed into law last year, provides a federal framework for stablecoin issuers in the United States, and a White House analysis found little evidence that stablecoin yields would harm bank lending.