New research: 26% of U.S.-based remittance users have already adopted stablecoins for their transactions

The rise of blockchain-based financial technologies has created new ways to send money across borders. A new study by Lennart Ante, published in Telematics and Informatics, provides fresh insights into how stablecoins are being used for remittances—and why skills in both digital technology and finance are key factors driving their adoption and continued use.

Stablecoins and Remittances: A Growing Connection

Remittances play a huge role in supporting families around the world, moving billions of dollars across national borders every year. Yet sending money internationally often remains expensive. On average, it costs 6.2% of the amount sent, according to the World Bank, making it much more costly than the United Nations’ 2030 goal of keeping these fees under 3%.

Stablecoins offer a new alternative. These digital currencies are designed to maintain a steady value by pegging themselves to traditional assets like the U.S. dollar. Built on blockchain technology, stablecoins such as Tether’s USDT or Circle’s USDC allow individuals to transfer funds more quickly and potentially at lower costs than traditional money transfer services.

The study shows that 26% of U.S.-based remittance users have already adopted stablecoins for their transactions. This finding points to stablecoins not as a niche tool but as an emerging option for moving money internationally.

Skills That Matter: Digital and Financial Literacy

The research highlights two skills that strongly influence the decision to use stablecoins: digital literacy and financial literacy.

People with higher digital literacy—those who are confident using technology for communication, data management, and transactions—are far more likely to adopt stablecoins. Financial literacy, the ability to understand interest rates, inflation, and risk diversification, also plays a meaningful role.

Interestingly, the combination of these two skills has an even stronger effect. Individuals who are knowledgeable in both areas are not just a little more likely to use stablecoins—they are much more likely. This suggests that promoting education in both fields could be important for expanding access to stablecoin remittances.

In terms of demographics, stablecoin users in the study were younger, better educated, had higher incomes, and typically sent larger amounts of money compared to non-users.

Why Users Stick With Stablecoins

Adoption is only part of the story. The research also explores why people continue to use stablecoins after trying them for the first time.

The study applies the Expectation-Confirmation Model (ECM), a framework often used to understand why users stick with new technologies. Three elements turn out to be decisive:

Satisfaction: Whether the user felt their initial experience met or exceeded their expectations.
Perceived Usefulness: Whether the user believes stablecoins genuinely made sending money easier, faster, or cheaper.
Confirmation: Whether users’ original expectations were actually fulfilled.

Satisfaction proved to be the most powerful driver of continued use. When people had a good first experience, they were far more likely to keep using stablecoins. Moreover, when users found stablecoins useful and reliable, they tended to become more satisfied, creating a reinforcing cycle that supports long-term adoption.

Practical Implications

The findings offer several lessons for policymakers, financial service providers, and educators:

Educational Efforts: Programs that teach both digital skills and financial concepts could help expand stablecoin use and make digital finance more accessible.
User Experience: Companies offering stablecoin services should focus on clear communication and delivering reliable service from the start, as early impressions strongly shape long-term behavior.
Financial Inclusion: Stablecoins could play a part in making remittances cheaper and faster, helping meet Sustainable Development Goal 10 by reducing transaction costs for international money transfers.

The study also highlights that stablecoins are not only a technical innovation but a social one—offering a chance to bridge gaps in financial access. However, there is still work to be done. Broader adoption depends on improving digital infrastructure, expanding financial education, and building trust in digital currencies.

Moving Forward

The article lays important groundwork for understanding stablecoins’ role in cross-border remittances. Future studies could examine how different countries, cultures, and regulatory environments shape stablecoin use. Researchers might also look at stablecoin usage among remittance recipients, not just senders, and how on-the-ground factors like internet access and local financial services affect adoption.

Stablecoins represent a real shift in how money can move internationally. By shedding light on who is using stablecoins, why they continue to use them, and what skills are needed to take part, this study provides important insights for anyone interested in the future of global finance.