Stablecoins have gained traction among crypto users, but a key challenge remains—turning ownership into everyday use. Many holders still struggle to find places where they can spend their digital dollars, and according to a recent survey, nearly two-thirds of U.S. stablecoin holders have converted at least some of their holdings back into dollars because merchants wouldn’t accept them.
That gap between interest and accessibility suggests there may be untapped demand for stablecoin adoption among consumers. According to the research from MNEE Pay and YouGov, 84% of stablecoin holders would prefer to shop with merchants that accept stablecoins, with online shopping emerging as the top category where they would use them. While most respondents said they want to spend their stablecoins, nearly half said they are holding the tokens for savings or higher-yield opportunities.
“The infrastructure gap is now on the merchant side,” Ron Tarter, Founder and CEO of MNEE Pay, told PaymentsJournal. “Businesses that move early can benefit from lower processing costs, faster settlement, and a customer base actively looking for places to spend.”
Integrating Stablecoins into Everyday Life
Today, the average American has limited reason to use stablecoins. That is likely to change in the coming years as banks, payment networks, and merchants begin integrating stablecoins into their existing systems behind the scenes.
“The best UX is that the consumer doesn’t even know they’re using stablecoins,” said Joel Hugentobler, Cryptocurrency Analyst at Javelin Strategy & Research. “Stablecoins make payments cheaper and faster, in addition to 24/7, so it all needs to happen on the back end or behind the scenes without consumers even realizing they’re using stablecoins. Then stablecoins become a byproduct of a better payment experience rather than a decision or conscious choice.”
One use case that is already viable is cross-border transfers. The survey found that roughly one-fifth of U.S. stablecoin holders use them to send money to other countries.
“Internationally, where payments are slow and expensive, stablecoins offer a compelling advantage,” said Hugentobler. “Over time, that same infrastructure could expand into everyday domestic payments, but cross-border is where the value prop is already strongest.”
The Stablecoin Demographic
Determining how many consumers own stablecoins remains difficult. The MNEE Pay survey estimated that between 25% and 30% of U.S. adults owned digital assets in 2025. Its research also found that 41% of U.S. crypto holders own stablecoins, suggesting that roughly 10% to 12% of U.S. adults may hold at least one stablecoin.
The survey also revealed a significant generational divide. Among crypto holders ages 18 to 34, 88% own stablecoins, compared with just 15% of those ages 55 and older.
