Nearly half of consumers surveyed across Asia Pacific say they are likely to use stablecoins within the next five years, even as current use remains much lower and limited understanding continues to hinder wider adoption. According to Visa’s Consumer 360 research, 46% of respondents expect to use stablecoins within five years, compared with 16% who had used them during the previous 12 months. The study, which surveyed 14,250 consumers aged 18 to 65 across 14 Asia Pacific markets, found interest in uses including online purchases, travel spending and cross-border money transfers.
Interest extends to payments and cross-border transfers
Cross-border payments emerged as one area where consumers expect stablecoins to gain wider use. Some 49% of respondents believe stablecoins could become a common way to move money across borders within five years, with potential applications including remittances, international transfers and other payment needs.
Awareness and intended use varied across the markets surveyed. Hong Kong recorded the highest stablecoin awareness at 84%, followed by India at 80% and Thailand at 77%, while intent to use stablecoins within the next five years was highest in Vietnam and India, both at 67%.
The findings also reveal that interest extends beyond cryptocurrency trading, with respondents expressing interest in using stablecoins for everyday online purchases, travel spending and overseas shopping. Nischint Sanghavi, Head of Digital Currencies, Asia Pacific at Visa, said: “We’re seeing a meaningful shift in how consumers across Asia Pacific think about stablecoins. Consumers are beginning to see how stablecoins could support the ways they already spend and move money, particularly through online purchases, travel and cross-border transfers. The opportunity now is to turn that interest into trusted and familiar payment experiences that work at scale.”
Awareness remains ahead of understanding
Stablecoin awareness reached 66% among respondents, but only 6% demonstrated what Visa classified as an accurate understanding of how stablecoins work. Misconceptions were widespread, with 49% of consumers who are aware of stablecoins believing they can only be used to buy and sell other cryptocurrencies, while 41% of respondents believe stablecoins always increase in value.
Among people who are aware of stablecoins but have never used them, 38% cited concerns about fraud or scams, while 36% pointed to a lack of understanding. Consumers showed the strongest preference for regulated institutions when asked which providers they would trust, with government or central bank-linked entities ranking highest at 27%, followed by banks or regulated financial institutions at 26%.
The figures show a sizeable gap between awareness, intended use and understanding. Although consumers are considering stablecoins for payments and transfers, concerns about fraud and limited knowledge remain barriers to wider use.
Visa links stablecoin services to familiar payment channels
Visa is working with banks, regulated financial institutions and payment partners to bring greater security, compliance and usability to stablecoin-enabled payment experiences. This includes the Visa Stablecoin Platform, which the company said helps clients mint, move and manage stablecoins.
Visa described its role as connecting stablecoin technology with secure and familiar payment experiences that consumers already use. Sanghavi added: “This research confirms what we’ve been building toward. Consumers want stablecoins to feel like a natural part of the payments they already trust, not a separate system. Our role is to connect emerging stablecoin technology with the secure, familiar payment experiences consumers rely on every day.”
The Consumer 360 study was commissioned in 2026, with fieldwork conducted between June and July. It covered Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Australia and New Zealand.
