Visa: USA Stablecoin Adoption Could Surge with Bank-like Protections
BITmarkets Team
Oct 02, 2026
The survey, which covered 2,192 US consumers, found that the “adoption intention” for stablecoins could rise from 36% to 56% “in a hypothetical scenario with bank-level fraud protection and deposit insurance.” Conducted by Morning Consult between February and March, the research also indicated that Americans are interested in faster and less expensive ways to transfer money internationally.
Consumer protections could boost stablecoin adoption
According to Visa, trust in the provider behind a payment method plays a major role in whether consumers are willing to use new financial technologies. “Nearly two-thirds (64%) [of respondents] say trust depends more on who offers a payment method than on the tech itself,” said Visa. “Willingness to use stablecoins rises from 36% to 45% when offered through an existing financial provider.”
The study examined a hypothetical environment in which US stablecoin issuers offered protections similar to those associated with banks. Its publication comes as companies prepare for the implementation of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. The legislation is awaiting final implementing rules from key US financial regulators and is expected to take effect in January 2027.
Unlike conventional bank products, stablecoins generally do not provide the same fraud safeguards and are not covered by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) deposit insurance. Stablecoins issued under the GENIUS framework are still not expected to receive FDIC insurance or explicit fraud protection, although the legislation includes requirements aimed at addressing illicit financial activity.
European banks seek changes to stablecoin reserve rules
In Europe, regulators are also considering changes to how stablecoin reserves are managed. The European System of Central Banks called for revisions to requirements that stablecoin issuers keep at least 30% of their reserves in bank deposits, rising to 60% for “significant” tokens.
Instead, the group proposed introducing liquidity thresholds, citing concerns about potential risks if users rapidly withdraw funds. The proposed changes relate to the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, which began applying its stablecoin provisions in June 2024.
Stablecoin market continues to expand
Payments infrastructure company Decta reported that the market capitalization of MiCA-compliant euro stablecoins more than doubled between 2025 and 2026 ahead of the end of the framework’s transition period. Despite the growth of euro-denominated alternatives, US dollar-backed stablecoins continue to dominate the global market. USDC and USDT together account for approximately $260 billion in market capitalization.
Sources:
https://cointelegraph.com/news/stablecoin-adoption-bank-level-protections-visa
