Visa Survey: Half of APAC Open to Stablecoins by 2031

Nearly half of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region are likely to use stablecoins within the next five years, according to a survey conducted by Visa. The payments giant polled 14,250 individuals across the region, finding that 46% of respondents expect to adopt fiat-pegged cryptocurrencies within five years, compared with 16% who reported using them in the past 12 months.

Interest is increasingly driven by everyday purchases, travel, and cross-border transfers. About 49% of respondents stated they believe stablecoins could become a common method for moving money across borders within the five-year timeframe.

Knowledge Gaps and Barriers

Despite the rising interest, the survey highlighted a wide gap between consumer engagement and technical understanding. Only 6% of respondents accurately understood how stablecoins operate, and approximately 49% of those aware of the assets believed they could only be used to buy or sell other cryptocurrencies.

Concerns surrounding fraud and scams emerged as the leading barrier to adoption among individuals who were aware of stablecoins but had not yet used them.

Industry Response and Settlement Networks

Stablecoin providers, banks, and card networks are currently competing to capture payment opportunities within the region's middle-class consumer base. Visa has actively expanded its stablecoin settlement network to support a broader range of tokens and blockchains. Meanwhile, partner firms such as Reap are preparing local-currency stablecoins for round-the-clock foreign-exchange settlement in markets including Hong Kong dollars, won, and yen tokens.

Key facts

• Visa surveyed 14,250 people across the Asia-Pacific region.
• 46% of consumers are likely to use stablecoins within the next five years.
• Only 6% of respondents accurately understood how stablecoins work.
• 49% of respondents believe stablecoins could become common for cross-border money movement within five years.