Mastercard sets the tone: Stablecoins are moving away from speculation and are heading towards bank-level payment infrastructure, signaling a new era of secure and reliable digital transactions.
February 2 News, during an industry roundtable in Dubai, Mastercard collaborated with regulators, banks, and fintech companies to hold in-depth discussions on “the true value of stablecoins.” The attendees unanimously agreed that stablecoins are no longer just speculative tools in the crypto market but are transforming into essential infrastructure for cross-border settlements and corporate payments.
Mete Guney, Executive Vice President of Market Development for Mastercard Europe, Middle East, and Africa, stated that the significance of stablecoins has shifted from price volatility to efficiency enhancement. Dr. Marwan Al Zarouni, CEO of the Dubai Blockchain Center, also emphasized that the UAE focuses more on practical applications in digital asset deployment rather than chasing concepts, saying, “Reducing friction is the key to unlocking genuine growth momentum.”
In the payments sector, the advantages of stablecoins are beginning to emerge. USDC issuer Circle is testing merchant settlement solutions based on stablecoins with Mastercard, reducing the settlement process from several days to near real-time. Mastercard executive Olivia Bellingham pointed out that this model opens up new possibilities for cross-border trade, B2B payments, and corporate cash flow management.
Regulatory issues are also a focus. Ruben Bombardi, General Counsel of the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, stated that compliance should be considered from the product design stage. Lasbery Oludimu, an executive from Yellow Card in the African market, shared experiences working with policymakers, noting that stablecoins are helping to alleviate foreign exchange shortages for local businesses.
Meanwhile, traditional banks are accelerating their entry. RAK Bank and CBI have both launched digital asset-related services, believing that stablecoins will become standard financial tools. Fuze CEO Mo Ali Yusuf pointed out that regulated, USD-pegged stablecoins are being viewed as new clearing channels.
At the end of the meeting, Mastercard executive Oliver Silveri predicted that within the next three to five years, truly valuable stablecoins may concentrate in a few projects, and the market will enter an integration phase. Topics such as “bank-grade stablecoin payments,” “new cross-border settlement models,” and “stablecoin regulatory trends” are gradually becoming important agendas in the global financial system.