Visa Study: 46% of Asia Pacific Shoppers Ready to Use Stablecoins by 2030

The card network's latest survey reveals substantial consumer interest in stablecoins for everyday transactions across the Asia Pacific region. The research polled 14,250 people aged 18 to 65 in 14 markets.

Nearly half of respondents — 46% — said they would likely adopt stablecoins for payments within the next five years. Meanwhile, 16% reported already using them in the past year.

Shoppers see particular promise for these digital currencies in online purchasing, travel expenses, and international shopping. About half of those surveyed believe stablecoins will become a mainstream channel for cross-border money transfers within five years.

While two-thirds of respondents (66%) reported awareness of stablecoins, actual comprehension lags far behind. Only 6% demonstrated accurate understanding of how these assets function.

Among those who knew about stablecoins, 49% believed they could only be used for trading other cryptocurrencies — missing their broader payment potential. Additionally, 41% incorrectly thought stablecoins always appreciate in value.

For aware consumers who have not yet used stablecoins, barriers include fraud concerns (38%) and insufficient knowledge (36%).

Stablecoin familiarity varies significantly across markets. Hong Kong led awareness at 84%, followed by India at 80% and Thailand at 77%.

Vietnam and India showed the strongest intent to use stablecoins within five years, with 67% of respondents in each country expressing interest.

Consumers place greatest confidence in government or central bank-affiliated providers, with 27% selecting these entities as their preferred stablecoin source. Traditional banks and regulated financial institutions came in close behind at 26%.

We're seeing a meaningful shift in how consumers across Asia Pacific think about stablecoins

said Nischint Sanghavi, head of Digital Currencies for Visa Asia Pacific.

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.

The company indicated it is collaborating with banks, regulated institutions, and payment partners to integrate stablecoin services with existing payment infrastructure.