WTO Blames Regulatory Fragmentation for Low Stablecoin Adoption
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has identified a major barrier to the adoption of stablecoins in international finance: fragmented regulatory regimes.
According to WTO Director Juan Marchetti, regulation and the lack of development of regulatory frameworks are the main constraints to stablecoin adoption, not technology itself.
The Financial Stability Board's October 2025 report found that only 39% of surveyed jurisdictions have finalized their stablecoin regulatory frameworks, with 28 countries in total.
Stablecoins currently account for just 3% of global payments due to these fragmented regulations, but the WTO report suggests they could improve several key friction points in trade finance, including high costs and foreign exchange limitations.