Stablecoins are rapidly becoming one of the most compelling real-world applications for blockchain technology, according to a recent report by KPMG.
The firm highlighted that digital currencies pegged to traditional assets, such as the U.S. dollar or gold, are positioned to transform the $150 trillion cross-border payments market, which remains slow, costly, and dependent on outdated banking infrastructure.
Traditional correspondent banking networks, KPMG noted, can take up to five days to settle transactions, often costing $25–$35 per transfer and requiring institutions to tie up capital in dormant accounts around the world. Stablecoin-based solutions, by contrast, can settle transactions in seconds and cut fees by over 99%, freeing liquidity and improving efficiency for global financial institutions.
The report emphasized that stablecoins also offer real-time auditability and transparency, replacing opaque interbank processes with blockchain-led traceability. KPMG pointed to JPMorgan’s $2 billion in daily blockchain settlements and PayPal’s $1.17 billion PYUSD stablecoin as proof that mainstream finance is already adopting this model.
As adoption accelerates, KPMG believes stablecoins could soon become the core mechanism for international payments, marking a fundamental shift toward faster, cheaper, and more transparent financial systems worldwide.
