Chainalysis estimates that stablecoin transaction volumes could expand dramatically over the next ten years, potentially reaching $1.5 quadrillion and surpassing current levels of global cross-border payments.

In a recent report, the firm projected that stablecoin volume could grow to approximately $719 trillion by 2035 through organic expansion alone, up from about $28 trillion recorded in 2025.

If additional drivers come into play, this figure could increase even further. Chainalysis pointed to two key catalysts: a large-scale generational wealth transfer of around $100 trillion from baby boomers to younger, more crypto-native users, and the potential for stablecoins to become the dominant payment infrastructure.

“Factor in these catalysts, and our projections change: 2035 volumes could approach $1.5 quadrillion, a figure that would surpass the estimated $1 quadrillion in global cross-border payments today,” Chainalysis said.

Growth assumptions highlight scale and uncertainty

The upper-end projection represents an aggressive scenario that would exceed existing financial benchmarks. For context, global remittance flows were estimated at $865 billion in 2023 and $905 billion in 2024, far below the projected stablecoin volumes.

Even the baseline estimate of $719 trillion would require sustained compound annual growth of roughly 133% over the next decade. This would also surpass estimates of total global asset value, which World Population Review places at around $662 trillion across banks, real estate and cash. Industry analysts emphasize that transaction volume reflects how frequently money moves rather than the total amount of capital in circulation.

Infrastructure and adoption trends support expansion

According to Rachael Lucas, analyst at BTC Markets, the $1.5 quadrillion projection should be viewed as an optimistic upper bound rather than a base expectation. She noted that accelerating infrastructure development is laying the groundwork for higher adoption.

“The infrastructure is being built right now. Stripe acquiring Bridge, Mastercard partnering with BVNK, these are operational bets, not experiments. Add regulatory clarity from the GENIUS Act, and institutional participation can scale in ways that simply were not possible before,” she added.

Lucas also highlighted the role of demographic shifts in driving future growth. “The generational wealth transfer will do the rest. Millennials and Gen Z are the first generations for whom on-chain is a default, not a deliberate choice.”

Survey data from OKX supports this trend, showing that 40% of Gen Z and 36% of millennials in the United States plan to increase their crypto activity, compared to just 11% of baby boomers.

Stablecoins are increasingly viewed as a key driver of adoption. A study by EY-Parthenon found that 13% of financial institutions and corporations already use stablecoins, while 54% of those not yet using them expect to adopt them within the next year.

Sources:

https://www.ey.com/en_us/insights/financial-services/cost-savings-and-speed-drive-stablecoin-adoption

https://corporate.visa.com/en/products/visa-direct/resources/money-travels-report.html

https://cointelegraph.com/news/stablecoin-volumes-1-5-quadrillion-2035-how

https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/stablecoin-utility-future-of-payments/