Apple, Google, and Uber Quietly Explore Stablecoins to Revolutionize Payments

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On the path to innovation, Apple, Google, X, Airbnb, and Uber are quietly exploring stablecoins, and it could reshape how payments work across the globe. Interestingly, with growing prominence and the US president’s support, Stablecoins are growing fast in B2B payments, offering speed, low costs, and dollar stability. B2B transactions hit $36 billion of the $94 billion total, beating peer-to-peer and card-linked payments.

Onchain Over Cards?

Big Tech firms are reportedly in early talks with crypto companies to use stablecoins, dollar-pegged digital tokens, for processing payments. The ultimate goal is to cut card fees, streamline international settlements, and future-proof their treasury operations. Conversations involve heavyweights like Stripe and Worldpay, who’ve been approached to support the backend flow of stablecoin settlements.

Airbnb is testing the waters with Worldpay, while X (formerly Twitter) is mulling over integrating stablecoins into its X Money app. Meanwhile, Google Cloud already accepts stablecoin payments (via PayPal’s PYUSD) for select clients, without altering its traditional billing system.

Why Stablecoins, and Why Now?

Stablecoins aren’t new, but the timing might finally be right. With policy winds shifting in Washington under the Trump administration and infrastructure rapidly maturing, companies are finding real use cases. Stripe’s acquisition of stablecoin startup Bridge has only added fuel to the fire.

“Stablecoins are this old idea, but now the right pieces are coming together,” said Haun Ventures’ Chris Ahn. Stablecoins also offer flexibility for treasury management. Instead of sitting on fiat, firms can hold stablecoins for faster, on-chain cross-border settlements and better liquidity strategies.

Meta and Uber Join the Party

Other tech giants are also showing interest. Meta has been evaluating stablecoins to lower transaction costs for international payments, especially for Instagram creators. Meanwhile, Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi confirmed the company is researching stablecoin payments as a future option.

Trust Still a Barrier

Despite the buzz, firms are cautious. Tether’s murky audit history and changes in USDC’s ownership have raised questions about compliance and transparency. Executives are evaluating which stablecoin issuer can be trusted with large-scale operations, and that’s slowing down direct adoption.

Is This a Threat to Visa and Mastercard?

Potentially, yes. Since Stablecoins cut out the need for card networks, especially in cross-border or large transactions. If stablecoin payments go mainstream, legacy processors like Visa and Mastercard could lose their grip on billions in annual processing fees.

Despite the odds, the stablecoin market recently reached an all-time high capitalization of $250 billion. Industry analysts, including Standard Chartered, predict the market could grow to $2 trillion by 2028. This growth is expected to accelerate with the potential passage of the GENIUS Act, a legislative proposal aimed at providing a clear regulatory framework for stablecoins in the U.S.

Crypto Pulpit