TL;DR: Findings from Visa Consumer 360 research revealed growing interest in using stablecoins in Asia-Pacific. Meanwhile, in Europe, a 50,000-letter campaign urges the EU to ease restrictions on stablecoin rewards in the MiCA review. At the same time, a new report by Lloyds Banking Group (NASDAQ: LYG) found that 71% of U.K. finance decision-makers expect tokenization to reshape the industry.
Key Takeaways:
Almost half of APAC consumers are open to using stablecoins, a Visa study finds
Visa (NASDAQ: V) recently released a survey revealing growing awareness of stablecoins in Asia-Pacific. Across the region, 46% of consumers believe that they’ll likely use stablecoins within the next five years, compared with 16% who have used them in the past year.
“We’re seeing a meaningful shift in how consumers across Asia Pacific think about stablecoins,” said Nischint Sanghavi, Head of Digital Currencies, Asia Pacific at Visa.
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.”
Interest is expanding in daily online purchases, travel spending, and overseas shopping, and even points to potential use beyond investment or digital currency trading. Another movement came from cross-border money transactions, with 49% saying stablecoins could become a common way to send money across borders within five years.
However, despite the positive outlooks, Visa found that 49% of consumers who are aware of stablecoins still believe they can only be used to buy and sell cryptocurrencies.
Stablecoin awareness and intent are more pronounced across APAC, with Hong Kong (84%), India (80%), and Thailand (77%) recording the highest levels of digital asset awareness. In comparison, Vietnam and India, both at 67%, show the strongest intent to use stablecoins over the next five years.
In APAC, stablecoins have gained broad recognition, with 66% of consumers aware of them. However, only 6% can accurately explain how digital assets work, and 41% believe that stablecoins always increase in value.
Trust is another barrier: among aware non-users, 38% have concerns about fraud or scams, and 36% lack understanding. They place the most trust in regulated providers such as government- or central bank-linked entities (27%) and banks or other regulated financial institutions (26%).
“This research confirms what we’ve been building toward,” added Nischint. “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.”
50,000 Europeans urge Brussels to allow stablecoin rewards
Across the EU, over 50,000 Europeans are urging the European Commission to allow stablecoins to offer rewards following calls from EU central banks for stricter stablecoin restrictions.
The responses were brought out during the EU Commission’s review of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which closed on September 30. Crypto advocacy group Stand With Crypto EU is pushing to allow regulated stablecoin providers to offer incentives such as cashback, loyalty benefits, and fee reductions.
Stand With Crypto EU revealed that more than 50,000 supporters wrote to the Commission during the consultation, while over 126,000 people have signed its petition calling for a pro-innovation stablecoin strategy in the EU.
“Tens of thousands of EU citizens took the time to write to the Commission about a single rule, and that doesn’t happen by accident. These are people who use stablecoins, understand what the rewards ban means for them, and want to be heard before the Commission decides what comes next for MiCA,” Harry Pearce-Gould, general manager of Stand With Crypto EU, said.
Stand With Crypto EU reported that its campaign drew in over six times as many responses as the ECB’s digital euro consultations, which collected 8,221, and far exceeded the 198 submissions the Commission received in its 2020 consultation on crypto regulation.
The push comes amid European central banks’ seeking to expand MiCA’s restrictions on stablecoin returns. On a September 22 response to the Commission’s review, the ECB and other EU central banks urged that a ban on interest-like benefits from stablecoins be extended to digital currency lending, borrowing, and staking arrangements that generate indirect returns.
71% of UK finance leaders say tokenization will transform finance
Speaking of stablecoins, in the U.K., 71% of 100 senior leaders from major financial institutions expect tokenization to transform the finance sector, according to a recent Lloyds Banking Group Survey.
On October 2, 60% of respondents from large banks, insurance companies, financial sponsors, and asset and wealth managers in the U.K. said that faster payments and transaction settlements were among the benefits of tokenization. Meanwhile, 41% pointed to a more efficient collateral and liquidity management as the biggest benefit.
In its survey, Lloyds explained that tokenization can represent assets such as cash, bonds, and funds in digital form via blockchain.
“Tokenization is a key part of that shift,” Lloyds’ Global Head of CIB Coverage Lisa Francis said.
Apart from that, the survey showed that 77% of respondents focus on new and emerging technology for growth, up from 41% in 2025. Additionally, 64% of respondents plan to grow their capital expenditure in the next 12 months.
“Stablecoins could be particularly valuable for cross-border payments, where moving money between markets, currencies and infrastructures can add time and complexity,” Lloyds Banking Group Digital Assets head Peter Left said in a press release.
“The real opportunity is to make financial markets work faster, more efficiently, and more flexibly for clients,” Lloyds’ Co-Head of Global Markets Rob Hale added.
FAQs:
How many people in the Asia Pacific plan to use stablecoins?
A Visa survey found that 46% of Asia-Pacific consumers will likely use stablecoins within five years. Only 16% used them in the past year, and 49% say they could become common for cross-border transfers.
Which Asian countries know the most about stablecoins?
Hong Kong leads at 84% awareness, followed by India (80%) and Thailand (77%). Vietnam and India show the strongest intent to use them within five years, at 67% each.
Why don’t more people use stablecoins?
Among aware non-users, 38% fear fraud or scams, and 36% lack understanding. Consumers most trust central bank-linked entities (27%) and banks (26%), according to Visa’s survey.
Why do Europeans want stablecoin rewards allowed?
Stand With Crypto EU says regulated providers should offer cashback, loyalty benefits, and fee reductions. More than 50,000 people wrote to the EU Commission, and more than 126,000 signed a petition.
What do EU central banks want for stablecoins?
In a September 22 response, the ECB and other EU central banks asked to extend the ban on interest-like benefits to crypto lending, borrowing, and staking.
What is tokenization in finance?
Tokenization represents assets such as cash, bonds, and funds in digital form on a blockchain.
What is a stablecoin?
A stablecoin is a digital asset designed to maintain a stable value, typically pegged to a currency such as the U.S. dollar.
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