Stablecoins to replace old FX rails, but off-ramps remain a chokepoint

Stablecoins are gaining traction in high-cost cross-border payment corridors in emerging markets as they reduce some of the inefficiencies of legacy foreign exchange (FX) infrastructure, according to research firm Delphi Digital.

Stablecoins are emerging as the cheapest alternative to move US dollars in emerging economies due to the high costs of legacy FX corridors, which can reach up to 8% in combined fees when sending money to Argentina or Nigeria. 

Delphi said in a Monday article on X that 81% of the cost in those corridors comes from servicing the underlying banking infrastructure, which it argues gives stablecoin rails a structural advantage.

“Stablecoin rails eliminate most of what makes these corridors expensive to operate.”

“Settlement is atomic, so pre-funded liquidity sitting idle in local currencies is no longer necessary,” Delphi said, adding that volume thresholds and intermediary chains also become obsolete as stablecoins settle directly against the US dollar.

Related: Yield-bearing stablecoins surge as Washington fights over yield

Delphi’s prediction highlights the real-world impact of stablecoins in emerging markets, where locals use them to cut remittance costs to pennies or send instant transactions, bypassing legacy banking infrastructure. 

Off-ramps remain a chokepoint for stablecoin adoption

Off-ramps, such as access to bank accounts or interbank rails, remain a significant chokepoint when value needs to move between onchain and legacy environments, according to the company.

Most of the “friction” lies outside the blockchain, they said. While stablecoin minting and burning settle in seconds, bank wires feeding into these systems add significant delays due to batch processing schedules.

“Closing the gap is as much a regulatory problem as a technical one.”

The company added that stablecoins won’t replace the major FX corridors overnight, but the ones in emerging markets where “infrastructure costs dwarf currency risk and banks have largely given up on competing.”

Related: Stablecoin payments startup Kast raises $80M at $600M valuation: Report

Stablecoin supply on the rise despite falling crypto prices

Despite falling cryptocurrency valuations, the stablecoin supply rose 2.5% during the past month, from $308 billion on Feb. 17 to $316 billion as of Tuesday, according to DeFiLlama.

Delphi said emerging markets remain one of the clearest sources of stablecoin demand, particularly where users need cheaper access to dollar liquidity and cross-border transfers.

Investment companies continue pouring capital into stablecoin payment providers. On Tuesday, Singapore-based digital payment company Dtcpay raised $10 million in a Series A funding round led by investment firm Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India to fuel the expansion of its compliant stablecoin-based payment network.

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