Stablecoins in Business: Pain Points and Opportunities
Introduction
Stablecoins – digital currencies pegged to stable assets like the US dollar – promise to streamline business transactions with near-instant settlement, low fees, and global reach . In theory, they combine the efficiency of crypto with the familiarity of fiat money, making them ideal for cross-border payments and commerce. The global B2B payments market exceeds $125 trillion annually and is plagued by high fees and slow settlements . Stablecoins have already seen over $10 trillion in transaction volume in 2023 , and use is growing. Yet despite this potential, mainstream business adoption remains limited. Companies face significant pain points – from regulatory hurdles to tooling gaps – that frustrate stablecoin use in daily operations . Identifying these friction points and the underserved segments affected can highlight low-hanging-fruit opportunities for developers to build tools and services that unlock stablecoins’ value.
This report analyzes the biggest challenges businesses encounter with stablecoins, underserved markets with unmet needs, and practical use cases where adoption is blocked by fixable frictions. We also pinpoint gaps in current infrastructure (e.g. accounting, compliance, invoicing, multi-currency support) and suggest where developer-friendly solutions (APIs, integrations, wallets) could generate significant ROI. The focus is on actionable insights, concrete examples, and areas where simple tools could make a big difference.
Key Pain Points for Businesses Using Stablecoins
Regulatory Uncertainty and Compliance Burdens
One of the foremost barriers is the uncertain regulatory environment surrounding stablecoins. Rules differ across jurisdictions and are evolving, leaving businesses unsure how to comply. Inconsistent or unclear regulations are frequently cited as a major hindrance to stablecoin adoption . For example, the EU’s new MiCA regulation will impose specific compliance requirements on stablecoin issuers and service providers in Europe . Companies must navigate licensing, reporting, and consumer protection rules that may apply to transacting in stablecoins, which can be daunting.
Moreover, firms worry about KYC/AML (Know Your Customer / Anti-Money Laundering) obligations when using stablecoins. Transacting on public blockchains means dealing with pseudonymous addresses, raising concerns about illicit finance. Businesses need to ensure they aren’t receiving or sending stablecoins from sanctioned or criminal sources. However, most stablecoins and crypto wallets don’t natively provide KYC/AML checks, so businesses must bolt on their own compliance processes. This is a pain point especially for smaller companies that lack compliance departments. Without robust tools, stablecoins can facilitate anonymous transfers – creating AML risk that regulators are increasingly wary of .
Tax and accounting compliance adds another layer of complexity. In many jurisdictions (e.g. the US), stablecoins are not legally treated as “money” or legal tender for tax purposes but rather as property or financial assets . This means using a stablecoin to make a payment could trigger tax reporting similar to selling an asset, even if its value stays at $1. Businesses must track cost basis and potential gains/losses on stablecoin transactions, which is cumbersome. Accounting standards haven’t fully caught up either – companies must determine if stablecoin holdings count as cash, financial instruments, or intangibles on their balance sheet . This uncertainty makes CFOs and auditors nervous. In short, the regulatory and compliance burden – from licensing, to KYC/AML, to tax treatment – remains a top pain point keeping businesses on the sidelines. Developer tools that automate compliance (KYC checks, address screening, tax calculations) could greatly reduce this friction.
Integration with Legacy Systems and Workflows
Even when a business is willing to use stablecoins, integrating them into existing systems is a challenge. Traditional payment infrastructure and accounting systems are not built for crypto. Companies can’t simply “plug and play” stablecoins into their invoicing, ERP, or treasury workflows . PYMNTS notes that adopting stablecoin payments often “requires technological upgrades, staff training and assurances” to integrate with legacy systems . For example, an accounts receivable system might need modification to record incoming USDC payments, or an e-commerce checkout might need an API to accept stablecoin transactions alongside credit cards. These integrations can be complex and costly, especially for firms without in-house crypto expertise.
Another issue is lack of standardization and interoperability. There are many stablecoin protocols and blockchains, but no universal standard that legacy systems can easily interface with. A payment provider described it as having to “stitch together different ecosystems that don’t really talk to each other” when bridging fiat and stablecoins . If a business pays suppliers in stablecoin but manages cash in bank software, there’s a gap. Multi-chain compatibility is also a headache – USDC exists on Ethereum, Solana, Tron, etc., and different partners may insist on different chains. **Cross-chain interoperability remains a challenge **, meaning a company might need to support multiple wallets or use bridge services to accommodate all counterparties. This adds operational complexity and risk.
Crucially, businesses demand that any new payment method integrates with their broader workflow. They need APIs, SDKs, and software that sync stablecoin transactions with their databases, accounting books, and user interfaces. Today, those tools are nascent. A stablecoin transaction on blockchain might require manual steps to reconcile (e.g. checking a block explorer and updating an invoice status by hand). Until integration is seamless, many firms will stick to what’s already connected (banks, Swift, card processors). Developer opportunity: Build middleware and integration tools that connect on-chain payments to off-chain business systems (for instance, software that logs stablecoin payments into QuickBooks automatically). As one report emphasized, **payment service providers must create APIs and tools that simplify incorporating stablecoins into enterprise workflows **. Solving integration pain through technology is key to broader stablecoin use.
Liquidity, Conversion and Financial Frictions
While stablecoins are designed to hold a stable value, businesses still face financial frictions around liquidity and conversion. For one, converting large sums of stablecoins to actual fiat currency (or vice versa) isn’t always trivial. Liquidity for large transactions can be limited, especially in certain stablecoins or on certain exchanges . A fintech CEO noted that when moving “enterprise-grade money” (hundreds of thousands of dollars) across borders via stablecoins, companies encounter **three major pain points: limited liquidity for large transactions, long settlement times, and complex integrations **. In other words, if a corporation tried to pay a $5 million invoice with stablecoins, they might struggle to exchange that volume back to fiat quickly without moving markets or incurring slippage, unless they have prime exchange partners. Stablecoins themselves settle on-chain in minutes, but off-ramping a large payment into a bank account can still take time, especially if local banking partners are involved (e.g. waiting for an exchange to wire out funds).
In many emerging markets, fiat on/off ramps are underdeveloped. A business in Vietnam receiving USDC might need to find a crypto exchange or OTC broker to convert to Vietnamese Dong – a process that may be informal, time-consuming, or expensive if local regulators restrict crypto trading. This lack of local conversion infrastructure is a bottleneck for using stablecoins in the last mile. Businesses prefer transactions that land directly in their bank in local currency; with stablecoins, an extra conversion step is needed and often falls on the recipient to handle. Developer solutions that embed conversion (so recipients can automatically swap stablecoin to the currency of choice) would address this need. In fact, platforms are emerging that pair traditional fiat infrastructure with stablecoin rails to make conversion seamless – for example, Stripe’s recent acquisition of the stablecoin platform Bridge is meant to connect stablecoin payments with standard payout channels .
Another friction is choosing the “right” stablecoin. The market offers a plethora – USDT, USDC, BUSD, DAI, TrueUSD, and more – each with different issuers and risk profiles. This abundance “just confuses potential users, and it’s going to turn away some” businesses . A payment executive noted that many business owners are asking: “Why are there so many stablecoins, and which one is safer?” . Determining which stablecoin to trust (in terms of reserve backing and stability) is non-trivial. Some firms may only be comfortable with fully regulated coins (like USDC with monthly attestations), while others might prioritize the one their partners use (often USDT due to liquidity). Counterparty risk and trust in the issuer is a pain point – for instance, Tether’s USDT has vast adoption but a less transparent reserve history, whereas Circle’s USDC is transparent but was temporarily hit by a depeg scare when a portion of reserves were stuck during a bank failure . Businesses do not want to hold significant value in a stablecoin that could suddenly lose its peg or be frozen by an issuer. This risk was highlighted in a Deloitte analysis: **depegging and issuer solvency are key risks that businesses must consider with stablecoins **. Managing these risks (perhaps by diversifying stablecoins or having instant conversion to fiat) is an extra task for companies.
Finally, foreign exchange (FX) implications can be an issue. Most stablecoins are USD-pegged, which is useful globally, but not a panacea. If a European company’s books are in EUR, accepting USD stablecoins introduces FX exposure (albeit mild compared to accepting volatile crypto). They might prefer a EUR-pegged stablecoin for invoices, but those (e.g. EUR stablecoins) have much lower liquidity and acceptance. Similarly, businesses in countries with unique currencies often have no stablecoin option in their local currency. This means they use USD stablecoins as an intermediate value – which helps avoid local inflation, but eventually they need to convert to pay local expenses. Until multi-currency stablecoin ecosystems mature, developers could add value by building easy FX conversion tools (so a payment in USDC can be quickly swapped to, say, a EUR or NGN stablecoin or to fiat). In summary, liquidity and conversion bottlenecks – particularly for large amounts and non-USD currencies – remain a pain point. Any service that improves convertibility (through better liquidity pools, market-making, or integration with banking networks) would alleviate a key friction.
User Experience and Operational Challenges
For many businesses, the operational side of using stablecoins is a new frontier full of practical challenges. Unlike traditional banking, using stablecoins means dealing with blockchain wallets, private keys, and transaction fees – elements that most finance teams have little experience with. User experience (UX) issues are a notable barrier: “Gas fees and onboarding complexities remain barriers” to wider stablecoin adoption . If a company tries to use stablecoins on Ethereum, for example, they must manage ETH for gas or use a layer-2 solution – details that add friction and confusion. High network fees at times can erode the cost advantage for small payments. While newer blockchains with lower fees exist, choosing and navigating them can be overwhelming for a non-crypto business user.
There is also the challenge of wallet management and security. Holding stablecoins requires either a secure custodial account or self-custody of private keys. Self-custody can be risky without proper knowledge – losing a key means losing funds, and transactions are irreversible. Businesses are used to calling a bank to help if an error occurs; in crypto, mistakes can be final. Multisignature wallets and custody providers (like Fireblocks, BitGo, etc.) exist to add security for enterprises, but those may be costly or geared toward larger institutions. Many SMEs find no easy-to-use, affordable wallet solution that provides corporate controls (e.g. multi-user access with approvals) and insurance on holdings. This gap in enterprise-friendly wallet UX makes stablecoin handling daunting. A simple, safe wallet app tailored for businesses (with permissions, spending limits, and recovery options) is still an unmet need.
Another operational issue is transaction handling and reversibility. In traditional payments, if a mistake is made (wrong amount or payee), banks or card networks can often reverse or refund the transaction. Stablecoin payments are final once confirmed on-chain; there is no built-in dispute resolution. For B2B transactions between trusted parties this may be acceptable (they can communicate and refund manually if needed), but for customer payments it poses a problem. For instance, a small retailer accepting stablecoin has no recourse if a customer underpays or sends to the wrong address – except to rely on the customer to fix it. Fraud and error management thus become the business’s responsibility, whereas today card processors handle a lot of fraud detection and eat the cost of chargebacks. As one commentator noted, stablecoins by themselves don’t solve ancillary “jobs-to-be-done” in payments like fraud management, dispute coordination, and regulatory compliance . Merchants and businesses would need new tools or services to cover these functions if they move to direct stablecoin payments. This lack of a safety net is a pain point that makes some businesses hesitant to use stablecoins beyond controlled situations.
Finally, educational and cultural barriers fall under UX challenges. Many decision-makers simply don’t understand how stablecoins work, and that lack of understanding breeds mistrust. If a finance manager doesn’t grasp private keys or is unsure how to explain a stablecoin transaction to auditors, they will likely avoid it. Likewise, if counterparties (suppliers, customers) are not asking to pay or be paid in stablecoin, a business has little immediate incentive to offer it . In fact, a recent industry panel observed that “at the moment, there is simply not the demand for beneficiaries to receive funds in stablecoins” for many small businesses and consumers . This indicates a chicken-and-egg scenario: without easy user experiences, mainstream demand stays low, and without demand, businesses see no reason to push for stablecoin options. Overcoming UX hurdles – through better interfaces, education, and perhaps abstracting away the crypto “weirdness” – is necessary to unlock broader adoption.
Accounting and Reporting Complications
Stablecoin usage also runs into back-office complications in accounting, bookkeeping, and reporting. Traditional financial systems expect transactions in government currencies; inserting a digital token that behaves like cash but isn’t officially cash creates reconciliation headaches. A key pain point is the lack of accounting tooling and standards for stablecoins. Businesses need to track stablecoin transactions, value holdings, and report them correctly on financial statements. However, guidance has been murky: depending on circumstances, stablecoins might be treated as **financial assets or as intangibles under accounting standards **. If treated as an intangible asset (as Bitcoin has been under U.S. GAAP historically), any decline in value below cost must be impaired on the books, but increases in value aren’t recognized – an unfavorable treatment for something meant to stay at $1. Recently there have been efforts to allow fair-value accounting for digital assets, which would help, but many companies’ internal policies haven’t adapted yet. Until it’s crystal clear that a USD stablecoin is as good as a dollar for accounting purposes, finance teams will be uneasy.
Reporting and audit trail is another issue. Stablecoin transactions on blockchain are transparent in theory, but linking them to specific invoices or contracts requires careful record-keeping. Auditors will ask to see proof of payment and ownership – which may involve showing blockchain transactions, wallet ownership proofs, and conversion records. Most companies lack in-house expertise to prepare such audit documentation. Tools like block explorers are helpful but not integrated with internal systems. Additionally, valuing end-of-period holdings (even if stable at $1, there may be slight market deviations or interest earned in some cases) can be confusing. There may also be treasury policy questions – e.g., can a company count USDC as part of its cash reserves for liquidity ratios? Many likely do, but conservative auditors might not give full credit.
On the software side, common accounting packages (QuickBooks, Xero, Oracle Netsuite, etc.) do not natively support crypto transactions. Companies end up using workarounds: manual journal entries to record stablecoin movements, or third-party crypto accounting software (like Bitwave, Gilded, or Cryptio) that can sync blockchain data to their ledgers . These are emerging solutions, but adoption is still low, and some are focused on larger enterprises. Small businesses are often left doing manual reconciliation – e.g., an accountant copying transaction IDs into Excel – which is error-prone and inefficient. This lack of easy accounting integration is a clear unmet need. As an example, one crypto accounting platform advertises how it can integrate stablecoin payments into ERP systems and handle the custody and wallet tracking , underscoring that a market for such tools is forming.
In summary, from an accounting perspective, stablecoins currently introduce uncertainty and extra work. Businesses crave clarity and automation: they want stablecoin transactions to be as easy to account for as bank transactions. Until that happens, this remains a pain point. Tools that automatically reconcile stablecoin payments with invoices, maintain audit trails (with URLs to blockchain proofs), and generate reports compliant with accounting standards would significantly reduce this friction. Ensuring tax reporting is handled (for instance, issuing 1099 forms for stablecoin payments if required under new IRS rules ) is another area a tool could assist with. Developers who can bridge the gap between blockchain records and accounting records will help remove a major blocker for corporate use of stablecoins.
Underserved Market Segments and Blocked Use Cases
Despite the challenges above, certain market segments stand to benefit greatly from stablecoins – and many are already experimenting out of necessity. These segments often face acute pain points with current financial services, meaning stablecoins could be a game-changer if specific frictions are resolved. Below we highlight some underserved segments or use cases, where there are clear unmet needs that developer-driven solutions could address.
SMEs in Emerging Markets (Cross-Border Payments)
Small-to-medium enterprises in emerging markets are among those most harmed by the status quo in payments, and thus prime candidates for stablecoin adoption . These businesses frequently deal with cross-border transactions – paying suppliers, receiving customer payments, or remittances – and they suffer from high fees, slow processing, and poor access to banking. For instance, a payment from a small manufacturer in Mexico to a supplier in Vietnam might go through 4+ intermediaries (local banks, correspondent banks, forex brokers), taking 3-7 days and costing $14-$150 per $1000 sent . This is both slow and expensive, hurting the SME’s cash flow and margins.
In regions with weak banking infrastructure or capital controls (parts of Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia), SMEs often struggle to even make international payments. They resort to informal channels or costly money transmitters. Stablecoins offer a lifeline: a dollar-pegged token that can zip across borders in minutes, avoiding correspondent bank chains. As a16z notes, sending $200 from the U.S. to Colombia via stablecoin can cost less than $0.01, whereas traditional rails cost around $12 . Those savings are life-changing for SMEs operating on thin margins. Additionally, stablecoins can be accessible where dollar bank accounts are not – providing an inflation-resistant medium in countries with volatile currencies . Businesses in places like Argentina or Nigeria already use USD stablecoins informally to store value and transact, because local currency devaluation is extreme.
However, these emerging-market SMEs are largely underserved by current stablecoin services. They face the friction of converting between fiat and stablecoin, as discussed, and often lack trusted platforms to facilitate this. Many simply hold stablecoins on exchange accounts or mobile wallets, without integration into their billing systems. There’s a need for easy tools: for example, a multi-currency invoicing platform that lets an SME bill a foreign client in their home currency, but receive the payment in stablecoins (auto-converted from, say, the client’s credit card or local bank transfer) . The SME could then quickly swap the stablecoins to local fiat or spend them. Such tools would hide the crypto complexity and present stablecoins as just another currency option.
Geographically, regions like Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Southeast Asia have thriving informal stablecoin usage but minimal formal infrastructure. A report on stablecoins and financial inclusion notes that while stablecoins are used in high-inflation economies, adoption is hampered in areas with low internet penetration or digital literacy . That suggests a need for user-friendly mobile apps and education targeted at these markets. If, say, a Nigerian import/export firm could use a simple app to send USDC to a Chinese supplier (and that supplier gets RMB in their bank via an integrated off-ramp), it would fill a huge gap. Today, a few crypto fintechs (like Bitso in LATAM or MPesa-like crypto wallets in Africa) are moving this direction, but there’s ample room for more players focused on SME use cases.
In summary, emerging-market SMEs are an underserved segment where stablecoins solve real problems – currency instability and expensive cross-border payments – but adoption is blocked by lack of local support and easy tools. Developers can tap into this by building localized solutions: stablecoin payment gateways that connect to local banks/mobile money, SME-friendly wallets with local language support, and platforms to auto-convert exotic currencies to stablecoins and then to major currencies . This is precisely what one fintech, Orbital, did – starting by helping merchants repatriate profits from emerging markets using stablecoins, cutting settlement from 5 days to same-day . The success of such models shows the demand is there if the pain points are addressed.
Cross-Border Trade and Supply Chain Finance
Global trade involves countless B2B payments between importers, exporters, freight companies, and suppliers. These are typically high-value and time-sensitive transactions. Stablecoins are very promising in this domain because they can remove delays and banking dependencies that plague trade payments. For example, an exporter shipping goods often waits days or weeks for a letter of credit or wire payment to clear. With stablecoins, payment could be released as soon as goods are delivered (nearly instantly, even across time zones). This improves cash flow for suppliers and can reduce the need for trade financing.
A concrete use case: A logistics company in Germany uses stablecoins to collect payments from retailers in Southeast Asia, immediately converts to EUR, and then pays its contractors in Eastern Europe in the same day . This three-continent transaction flow (Asia → Europe → Eastern Europe) can be accomplished through stablecoins far more efficiently than through banks. In Orbital’s example, the process included auto-conversion of various currencies to stablecoin and back to EUR, simplifying a previously cumbersome cross-border FX workflow . Similarly, companies can pilot entering a new market without upfront banking integration – e.g. a trading firm testing Brazil could accept stablecoin deposits from Brazilian clients instead of integrating with the local banking network PIX, saving cost and time for a market test . These scenarios highlight stablecoins acting as a universal settlement layer for trade, avoiding the patchwork of local payment systems.
Despite the clear benefits, most traditional import/export businesses have not adopted stablecoins yet. This is an underserved niche largely due to conservatism and lack of tailored solutions. Large multinationals have treasury departments that hedge currency and use banks; small importers/exporters often just bear the fees or use brokers. If there were easy-to-use platforms that integrate stablecoins into trade finance processes (for example, tying stablecoin escrow payments to shipping documents or IoT sensors for delivery), it could gain traction. One hurdle is that trade transactions often require contracts and trust frameworks (letters of credit ensure goods and payment exchange properly). Smart contracts on stablecoins could replicate some of this – a stablecoin could be put in escrow and released automatically upon delivery confirmation. However, building such systems in a user-friendly way is a developer challenge that few have tackled at scale.
Another underserved aspect is supply chain payments to countries with capital controls or sanctions. Companies doing business in markets under sanctions or with unstable banking (e.g. certain African or Central Asian countries) struggle to move money for legitimate trade. Stablecoins can provide a channel if done carefully under regulatory allowances (e.g. humanitarian goods or exempted trade). There’s an opportunity for specialized trade facilitators that use stablecoins to bridge gaps when banks cannot operate, all while ensuring compliance.
In short, cross-border trade is ripe for stablecoin solutions but needs integrated platforms bridging the old and new. The partnership of Visa and Circle to use USDC for global settlement shows institutional interest in this direction . Until now, trade-focused stablecoin adoption has been limited to crypto-savvy firms and pilot programs. Developers can target this underserved use case by building tools like stablecoin escrow services, integrations between logistics software and blockchain payments, and simplified interfaces for suppliers to request stablecoin payment (with one-click conversion to their home currency). The value unlocked – faster turnover of capital, lower fees (potentially up to 80% cost reduction on transactions ), and more inclusive global trade – represents a significant opportunity.
Global Freelancers, Contractors, and Payroll
In the era of remote work and the gig economy, businesses frequently need to pay people across borders – freelancers, contractors, or even full-time employees working abroad. Traditional payroll and banking often falter here: international wire fees, delays, and currency conversions eat into payments. Freelancers in countries with weak banking may wait weeks to receive a check or PayPal transfer, and lose a chunk to fees. Stablecoins present an attractive alternative: a company can pay a contractor in USD stablecoin within minutes, which the contractor can then hold as USD value or convert to local currency. This is especially valuable in countries where local currency is depreciating; many workers prefer stable USD over volatile local money.
Some forward-thinking companies and platforms have started offering crypto payment options. For instance, certain freelance job platforms enable payment in USDC or Bitcoin. However, this is not yet mainstream, and many smaller businesses lack a simple way to payroll via stablecoins. It’s an underserved need because the demand is there – anecdotal evidence shows growing numbers of freelancers request payment in crypto to avoid bank hassles – but solutions are fragmented. Each company might hack together their own process (e.g., manually sending USDC from a crypto exchange account), which doesn’t scale or integrate with payroll systems.
Key frictions that need solving in this segment include: generating pay stubs or invoices for stablecoin payments, handling tax deductions or benefits if needed, and tracking payments for multiple recipients easily. A business paying 50 contractors in stablecoin might want one batch process rather than 50 manual transfers. They also need to collect wallet addresses securely (and ensure they belong to the right person, tying identity to address to avoid mispayment). Additionally, compliance is crucial – businesses have to report these payments and possibly ensure the recipient isn’t in a sanctioned region.
An opportunity here is for developers to create crypto payroll platforms. Imagine a service where a company uploads a payroll CSV, and the platform handles sending stablecoins to each recipient’s wallet, emails them a payment confirmation or slip, and logs the transaction details for accounting. The platform could even handle currency conversion if the company wants to pay $1,000 but the freelancer asks to receive in local currency stablecoin or fiat – effectively acting as a crypto-powered global payroll processor. Some startups (e.g. Request Finance, or Franklin as mentioned in search results ) are starting to do this, but no dominant player has emerged. Integration with popular HR or accounting software would also ease adoption (so that paying an invoice in stablecoin is as easy as any other payment method).
Another underserved group is NGOs and non-profits paying staff or grantees in challenging environments. Stablecoins have been used, for example, to pay aid workers in regions where banking systems are down, or to deliver aid to beneficiaries directly. The principle is similar: a reliable digital dollar that can be received on a phone. Tools developed for businesses to manage stablecoin payouts can often apply here too, expanding the impact.
In summary, global payroll and contractor payments represent a use case with clear benefits but currently clunky execution. By solving the pain points (address management, batch payments, withholding/tax calculations, records for compliance), developers can unlock stablecoins as a normal payroll option. Notably, these payments are usually low-to-medium value but high volume, which plays to stablecoins’ strengths (micro-fees, speed). A gig platform using stablecoins reported that they could pay thousands of freelancers globally within minutes, reducing delays and fees, and access a wider talent pool without banking frictions . That illustrates the potential if the right infrastructure is in place.
Small Retailers and High-Fee Industries
Customer-facing small businesses – like retail shops, cafés, restaurants, and e-commerce sellers – operate on thin margins and often feel disproportionately burdened by payment fees. Every card swipe takes ~2-3% plus a fixed fee, which for a $2 coffee can be 15% of the transaction . These fees effectively tax small transactions heavily, hurting mom-and-pop stores and quick-serve businesses. Stablecoins offer a vision of fee-free (or very low fee) payments that could save these businesses significant money. If a café could accept a stablecoin payment with no middleman, that ~$0.30 on a $2 purchase could be saved as profit, potentially boosting their bottom line markedly over time .
However, this segment is currently very underserved by stablecoin solutions, because bridging the gap between crypto and everyday consumers is difficult. The average customer isn’t carrying a crypto wallet to buy coffee, and the merchant wouldn’t know how to handle price volatility – they just want $2 worth of value. Some tech-savvy cafes (in cities like SF or Berlin) have experimented with accepting crypto, but it’s niche. The opportunity here is to create payment solutions that hide the crypto part for both merchant and customer, yet leverage stablecoins underneath for cost savings. For example, a point-of-sale system that lets a customer scan a QR code and pay via a stablecoin wallet (or even convert from their bank on the fly), and the merchant instantly sees the confirmed payment in their currency. Services like this are starting: e.g., companies like **Stripe have announced stablecoin payment support with lower fees (1.5% vs ~2.9% for cards) **, showing that even big payment processors see demand to lower costs. Stripe’s approach likely converts stablecoin to fiat for the merchant instantly, simplifying things.
Still, outside of early pilots, few small retailers have the means to accept stablecoins directly. Why? Beyond consumer adoption, reasons include lack of easy-to-use apps, fear of crypto’s reputation, and absence of integration with their sales systems. A coffee shop uses a simple card reader or POS terminal that ties into inventory and accounting – any crypto solution must seamlessly fit into that setup to be viable. That means developers should focus on integrations with existing retail software (POS, e-commerce plugins). Encouragingly, there are e-commerce plugins for WooCommerce, Magento, etc., that enable stablecoin checkouts . A European online retailer used such plugins to accept stablecoins from Latin American customers who lacked reliable traditional payment options, and found it “boosting sales” with faster, cheaper payments auto-converted to EUR . This example shows that when implemented well, stablecoin acceptance can expand a business’s market (here, reaching customers who might otherwise be unable to purchase due to local payment issues).
High-fee industries like online gaming, digital content, or adult industries (which get hit with high payment processor fees or bans) are also underserved segments that could leap on stablecoins if friction is reduced. These industries often have global user bases and face chargeback/fraud issues that stablecoins could alleviate (no chargebacks in crypto). For them, stablecoins could solve both cost and access (e.g. adult content platforms have been debanked, so crypto is an alternative). The pain points mirror those of small retailers: need for discrete, user-friendly payment interfaces and mechanisms for trust/refunds since card protections won’t apply.
Overall, while consumer/retail payments with stablecoins are still nascent, the segment represents a large opportunity once base-level frictions (wallet UX, point-of-sale integration, buyer protection mechanisms) are addressed. The first movers will likely be SMBs with strong customer communities and high payment costs – as a16z predicts, coffee shops, restaurants, and stores with captive audiences may lead the way in 2025, leveraging stablecoins to save on fees . These early adopters will need support in the form of reliable apps and perhaps guarantees (maybe a third-party that insures against certain fraud). Developers can provide that by building the “Stripe for stablecoins” or the “Square terminal of crypto” as easy plug-ins. The reward is significant: if stablecoin payments shave even 1-2% off costs, that can increase a small business’s profits by double-digit percentages – a huge value proposition.
Gaps in Current Tooling and Infrastructure
From the above pain points and use cases, it’s clear that many infrastructure gaps are preventing stablecoins from reaching their full utility for businesses. These gaps represent areas where new tools, services, or platforms are needed. Below are some of the most glaring deficiencies in today’s stablecoin ecosystem for business use, along with the potential each has for improvement:
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Accounting and Financial Reporting Tools: Traditional accounting software does not handle crypto well, forcing clunky workarounds. Businesses lack easy tools to automatically record stablecoin transactions, track valuations, and produce compliant reports. Opportunity: Develop integrations (or plugins) for popular accounting systems (QuickBooks, Xero, SAP) that treat stablecoin transactions like regular bank transactions. This includes fetching blockchain transactions, mapping them to invoices or accounts, and updating balances in real-time. It should also handle classification (e.g. mark stablecoins as cash equivalents or inventory as appropriate) consistent with the latest accounting standards. Given that holders of stablecoins must assess how to classify them on financial statements , software could guide users through that and apply consistent rules. Additionally, providing audit logs linking each ledger entry to a blockchain transaction hash would simplify audits. Some startups (Gilded, Bitwave) are working on this, but a lot of the market (especially mid-sized firms) is still untapped.
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Tax and Regulatory Compliance Solutions: Similar to accounting, tax compliance for stablecoin transactions is largely manual today. Tools like TaxBit and CoinTracker exist for crypto, but companies could use specialized features for stablecoins given the volume of transactions can be high. For example, automatically calculating any gains/losses on stablecoin dispositions (which might be near zero most of the time, but still reportable), generating IRS Form 1099-DA or equivalent for payments made in digital assets , and monitoring transactions against sanctions lists. KYC/AML tools are another gap – businesses need a way to easily identify counterparties in stablecoin deals. While big exchanges and some fintechs have compliance APIs, a developer could create a lightweight API or software that scans wallet addresses for risk (using public data or partnering with blockchain analytics) and provides a simple dashboard for a company’s compliance officer. This would allow even smaller businesses to confidently accept stablecoins, knowing they’ll be alerted to any red flags (e.g. if an incoming payment came from a wallet linked to hacks or blacklists). In essence, making compliance “plug-and-play” for stablecoin transactions would remove a big burden from businesses who don’t want to become crypto compliance experts.
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Invoicing and Payment Request Platforms: Unlike credit card or bank payments, there isn’t a ubiquitous, user-friendly way to request a stablecoin payment from a customer or client. Many businesses resort to emailing a wallet address or QR code and asking the payer to confirm once sent. This is error-prone and unprofessional. A clear gap is an invoicing platform for stablecoins: a service where a business can issue an invoice (denominated in fiat or stablecoin), and the payer can click a link to pay with stablecoins easily. Upon payment, the platform would notify both parties and update the invoice status. Ideally, it would also handle things like exchange rate lock-in – e.g., if an invoice is in EUR but paid in USDC, it calculates the correct amount of USDC at that time and perhaps offers a brief window where that quote is valid. By handling these details, it removes friction and uncertainty (no more “did I send the right amount?” worries). Such tools could also integrate a payment gateway that accepts multiple stablecoin types, giving flexibility to the payer. For instance, a freelancer could invoice $500 and the client could pay with USDC, USDT, or DAI on various networks, with the platform converting and delivering one consolidated stablecoin to the freelancer’s account. This kind of multi-option invoicing is not common yet, but it’s a low-hanging fruit given the technology largely exists (it’s about packaging it neatly for users).
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Multi-Currency and FX Conversion Support: Today’s stablecoin infrastructure is heavily USD-centric. Businesses operating internationally often deal with USD, EUR, GBP, etc. There’s a gap in tools that handle multi-currency stablecoin operations seamlessly. For example, a company might want to hold a balance in USD stablecoins but also easily convert to Euro stablecoin when needed to pay European partners, all within one platform. While exchanges allow trading, a dedicated tool for businesses could present this as a simple currency conversion within their wallet, abstracting the trading aspect. Additionally, a platform that automatically picks the best stablecoin rail for a given corridor could be valuable – e.g., if sending value to a partner in Brazil, the tool might convert USD stablecoin to a BRL-pegged stablecoin or to USDC and instruct conversion to BRL via a local exchange. Right now, businesses would have to manually figure out these steps. Developer opportunity: Create services that pool liquidity from multiple sources and offer one-click conversion between fiat and various stablecoins (and between different stablecoins). This can be offered via API for other fintechs to integrate as well. Essentially, become the “Wise (TransferWise) of stablecoins”, optimizing FX routes but using crypto rails where advantageous . Some fintechs like MuralPay advertise multi-currency invoice and payment support leveraging stablecoins , which indicates the demand. But more competition and expansion to new currency corridors are needed to truly serve global business needs.
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Enterprise Wallets and Custody Solutions: As noted earlier, managing stablecoin wallets is non-trivial for businesses. There’s a gap in secure, user-friendly enterprise wallets that allow multiple users and permissions. Current enterprise crypto custodians focus on large institutions and often require high fees. Smaller businesses could use a wallet that, for instance, allows the finance team to view balances, the CFO to approve large payments, and a clerk to initiate transactions – all with appropriate safeguards. Additionally, integrating backup and recovery mechanisms (like social recovery or hardware key sharding) would address fears of lost access. Some solutions like Gnosis Safe (multisig wallet) exist, but their interfaces are still quite technical. Developers could build on these protocols to create a polished app tailored for businesses. Another aspect is custody insurance: businesses are used to bank deposits being insured (FDIC, etc.). Crypto deposits are not, but a wallet solution that includes an insurance policy or guarantee for the stablecoins held (up to a limit) could attract businesses who are on the fence due to risk. This might involve partnerships with insurers, but offering it via a simple interface would fill a trust gap.
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Fraud and Dispute Management Services: As stablecoins take off in payments, there will be a need for third-party services that provide some of the protections of traditional payment networks. For example, an escrow service that can hold stablecoins for a transaction and release them when both buyer and seller are satisfied (useful for marketplaces or commerce to mitigate fraud). Or a dispute resolution protocol where a neutral party (or algorithm) can arbitrate if a refund is warranted. These are more complex to build (often more business process than technology), but developers could create tools that integrate with stablecoin payment flows to add an optional layer of protection. This would particularly help with consumer-facing use cases where lack of chargebacks is currently seen as a negative. While not a “tooling” gap in the pure tech sense, it’s an infrastructure/service gap that, if filled, would make businesses more comfortable using stablecoins at scale.
In essence, the current stablecoin infrastructure has been built primarily for crypto traders and decentralized finance users, not for everyday business operations. Bridging that gap requires building the same kind of surrounding infrastructure that fiat money has: accounting systems, compliance checks, invoicing, payroll, treasury management, and user-friendly custody. Each gap identified above is an opportunity for developers and entrepreneurs to create value by bringing stablecoin-based systems up to par with the convenience of traditional finance (while retaining the advantages of speed, cost, and openness).
Developer Opportunities: Low-Hanging Fruit with High ROI
Given the pain points and gaps discussed, there are several promising areas where developers can build solutions that quickly add value. These are “low-hanging fruit” in the sense that the need is clear and pressing, and the solutions are within reach using current technology. By targeting these areas, developers can not only solve real problems (and potentially capture a loyal user base) but also accelerate stablecoin adoption in the business world. Here are some of the most viable opportunities:
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Seamless Stablecoin Payment Gateways: Develop an easy-to-integrate payment gateway (like a Stripe or PayPal module) that enables businesses to accept stablecoin payments on their website or app. The gateway should handle multiple stablecoins and networks, abstracting that complexity from the merchant. Crucially, it should offer instant conversion to fiat (or to the merchant’s desired stablecoin) to mitigate volatility and simplify accounting. By providing a stable API and dashboard, developers can let businesses add a “Pay with USDC/USDT” option with minimal coding. This addresses the integration pain directly and opens merchants to new customers. For example, an online store using such a gateway could easily start selling to customers in countries where credit cards don’t work well, because now those customers can use stablecoins. The ROI for merchants is tangible: lower transaction fees and possibly new sales . As cited earlier, an EU retailer reached Latin American buyers by adding stablecoin checkout, avoiding costly local payment methods . A developer who provides that capability broadly could tap into a global market of e-commerce and SaaS companies looking for cheaper, global payment options.
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Stablecoin-to-Fiat On/Off-Ramp APIs: One big friction is getting money in and out of stablecoins. A developer opportunity is to build robust on/off-ramp services with an API. This would allow any application to programmatically convert fiat to stablecoin or vice versa, through local bank transfers, cards, or mobile wallets. Essentially, acting as a bridge between banking systems and blockchain. A business could integrate this API to automatically cash out stablecoins to their bank at day’s end, or to fund a wallet from their bank when they need to make a payment. By handling compliance (KYC/AML) in the background, such a service would remove a huge barrier. Companies like Circle and fintech startups are working on this (e.g., Circle’s APIs for USDC, or regional players like Bitso for LATAM), but gaps remain especially in underserved currencies and countries. A network of local partners might be required, but even focusing on a few high-need corridors (say, USDC to Nigerian Naira, or Euro to USDC) can capture significant volume. Every SME that currently goes through a convoluted process on an exchange to convert funds would prefer a one-click solution integrated in their finance software.
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Crypto Invoicing and Billing Software: As described, there’s demand for tools to create and manage invoices to be paid in stablecoins. A developer could create a web app (or add-on to existing invoicing software) that lets businesses issue professional invoices where the payment method is a stablecoin transaction. The software can generate a unique deposit address or payment link for each invoice and monitor the blockchain for payment. Once detected, it can automatically mark the invoice as paid and even initiate a conversion to fiat if the business wants. By preserving the familiar format of invoices and just changing the payment rail, it requires little new learning from businesses and their customers. This addresses a very specific but common need – how to request money in stablecoin – which is currently solved with ad-hoc manual communication. Concrete example: a freelancer sends an invoice of $1,000 to a client; the client opens a link, sees a request for 1,000 USDC (with the current equivalent in their preferred currency, if needed), and sends it; both get a receipt. This process could save days of waiting compared to international bank wires and cut fees dramatically. Given the rise of freelance and consultant work across borders, such a tool could see rapid adoption in those communities.
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Stablecoin Payroll and Mass Payout Systems: Another actionable opportunity is building a platform for mass payouts in stablecoins, tailored for payroll or vendor payments. This would allow a business to upload a list (or integrate via API) of who to pay and how much, and the platform takes care of the rest – converting currencies if needed and distributing stablecoins to each recipient’s wallet. It can also handle sending out notification emails with payslips or payment details. By integrating compliance checks (verifying the wallet belongs to the intended recipient, screening against sanctions lists, etc.), it gives companies confidence to use it at scale. This type of solution would directly target the pain of companies that have multiple international contractors or remote employees, replacing a process that might involve multiple bank wires or high-fee services. A platform called Transfi, for instance, highlights that stablecoin payout solutions are increasingly used to complement cross-border Swift transactions due to speed and cost benefits . A developer solution here could plug into existing HR or accounts payable systems, making it easy for a company’s finance team to adopt. There’s potential for a subscription or transaction-fee business model, given the value saved. Additionally, by handling exchange to local fiat for those who want it, it can cater to recipients who aren’t crypto-savvy – they just see that they got paid, with stablecoins as the behind-the-scenes vehicle.
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Integrated Compliance and Monitoring Tools: Many businesses worry about the compliance aspect of using stablecoins – “Are we allowed to do this? What if the funds are tainted?” Developers can seize the opportunity by offering compliance-as-a-service for stablecoin transactions. This could be an API or software that automatically checks each transaction against certain rules: e.g., it can flag if a stablecoin payment came from a wallet associated with known fraud or if it exceeded a certain threshold requiring KYC. It could also help generate reports needed by regulators (like a log of all digital asset transactions in the quarter). By packaging this into an easy tool, developers take a complex task off the business’s plate. Think of it as the Plaid or Alloy (fintech compliance APIs) equivalent for on-chain payments. As regulation tightens, such tools will become not just nice-to-have but necessary, especially if governments mandate more reporting on crypto transactions. Early movers in providing compliance solutions will become the go-to providers that other services integrate. This might not be a consumer-facing product but rather developer-facing (an API) – yet it’s crucial for enabling other products (like the payment gateways and payroll systems mentioned above) to be legally viable for businesses. In short, solving compliance pain through tech unlocks the ability for businesses to use stablecoins without fear.
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Multi-Network and Stablecoin Aggregators: Given the fragmentation (so many stablecoins and blockchains), a useful developer project is an aggregator that supports all major stablecoin types and networks under one interface or API. This service would let a business accept or send stablecoins without worrying about the specific type. For example, a business could say “I only care about receiving USD value” – the aggregator could provide an address that accepts USDC, USDT, DAI, etc., on various chains, detect the incoming payment, and consolidate it for the user, converting if necessary. This removes the headache of “which stablecoin do we support?” and allows businesses to safely accept whatever the payer has, which increases flexibility. Likewise for sending – a business could input a destination (maybe the recipient’s preference or let the service find the cheapest way to deliver $X to that country) and the aggregator handles choosing the stablecoin/chain and execution. Such a tool reduces confusion and error (no more sending the wrong token to the wrong network). It could charge a small fee or spread on conversion for the convenience. With the plethora of stablecoins likely to persist (as noted, having many options is confusing users ), an aggregator becomes quite valuable. It’s essentially offering interoperability as a service, something the Orbital article cited as an area where early developments offer hope . By being chain-agnostic, this also future-proofs businesses against stablecoin market changes (if one coin falls out of favor, the aggregator just uses another under the hood).
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Stablecoin Financing and Credit Services: This is a bit further afield from just payments, but it’s worth noting – developers could build services around working capital and credit using stablecoins. For example, enabling businesses to earn yield on idle stablecoin balances (through safe DeFi lending or interest-bearing accounts) to improve treasury income. Or providing short-term credit in stablecoins for suppliers who need liquidity (kind of like invoice factoring but via crypto). These are more complex opportunities but could be highly valuable in underserved markets where getting a bank loan is hard but a DeFi protocol might provide an advance against stablecoin receivables. Such innovations can drive adoption because they offer something beyond what traditional finance does. If a small exporter knows that by using stablecoin payments they also gain access to a quick line of credit or yield options, they have extra incentive to switch. Developers in the crypto space are exploring “DeFi for businesses” and this could integrate with stablecoin payment platforms.
To illustrate the potential impact of capturing these opportunities: consider transaction fees and cost savings. If a developer’s solution enables even a 1% reduction in payment costs, that can translate to huge savings at scale – e.g., Walmart could save on the order of $10 billion in card fees per year, theoretically boosting profitability by over 60% if such costs were eliminated . While that’s an extreme example, it shows the magnitude of value in replacing legacy payments. Realistically, stablecoin solutions might cut costs by 20-50% in various scenarios , which is still significant. Developers can capture a slice of that value (e.g., charge 0.1% of transactions) and still make clients better off.
Additionally, the strategic timing is good. Large players like Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, and PayPal are all making moves toward stablecoins (Visa settling in USDC , Stripe with stablecoin payouts , PayPal launching its own USD stablecoin, etc.). This validates the market and will increase confidence. But those big players will likely serve other big enterprises first; smaller businesses and niche segments might be overlooked initially – which is where independent developers can shine by focusing on those niches and providing tailored solutions. Once built, these tools could themselves become acquisition targets (as Stripe acquired a stablecoin startup for $1B ), indicating strong ROI potential for successful products.
In summary, by targeting integration, compliance, and usability gaps, developers can create the picks-and-shovels needed for businesses to comfortably use stablecoins. These opportunities not only promise financial return for the builders but also advance the overall ecosystem, making stablecoins more practical and trusted in day-to-day commerce.
Conclusion
Stablecoins have demonstrated immense promise by offering fast, low-cost, global transactions – a compelling upgrade to traditional payment rails mired in fees and delays. For businesses, the allure is straightforward: near-instant cross-border payments, reduced transaction costs (often by 50-80% ), and access to a digital dollar economy that operates 24/7. These benefits directly address long-standing pain points in areas like B2B payments, international trade, and small business transactions. Yet, as we’ve explored, widespread adoption by businesses has been held back by equally real challenges. Regulatory uncertainty, integration hurdles, liquidity and FX issues, user experience gaps, and the lack of enterprise-ready tooling form a wall between the promise of stablecoins and the reality on the ground.
Crucially, within these challenges lie clear opportunities. Many of the barriers are fixable frictions – the kind that innovative tools and services can overcome. Underserved market segments such as emerging-market SMEs, global freelancers, and small retailers are hungry for better payment solutions, but they need the bridges built for them to cross into the stablecoin world. Developers and entrepreneurs who focus on these pain points can become the bridge-builders. Whether it’s an API that **plugs stablecoins into existing finance software **, or an app that simplifies KYC for crypto transactions, or a platform that lets a coffee shop take digital dollars for lattes, each solution chips away at the barriers. Over time, these incremental improvements can lower the threshold enough that even non-crypto-savvy businesses step through and give stablecoins a try.
It’s also worth noting that stablecoins do not exist in a vacuum; they are part of a broader financial stack. To truly unlock their value, the surrounding services (compliance, security, dispute resolution, etc.) must evolve in parallel. As one analyst pointed out, the cost savings of stablecoins come from cutting out middlemen, but businesses still need someone or something to perform the “jobs” those middlemen did – fraud prevention, coordination, regulatory compliance . This is where new service providers can step in: for every function a bank or card network used to handle, there’s an opportunity for a crypto-native solution to handle it more efficiently or in a more user-driven way. The maturation of the stablecoin ecosystem will see the emergence of these complementary services, many likely built by agile startups.
From a strategic perspective, focusing on low-hanging fruit doesn’t just mean quick wins – it means laying the groundwork for bigger shifts. Solving practical issues for niche markets can be the wedge that brings stablecoin usage into the mainstream. For example, a robust stablecoin invoicing system for freelancers might later expand to SMB payroll, then to enterprise vendor payments. Each step builds confidence and track record. By emphasizing actionable improvements and ROI, developers can convince businesses to take that first step. Early success stories (like companies that cut remittance costs by 80% , or a retailer that gained new customers via stablecoin payments) will in turn inspire others to explore these tools.
In conclusion, the path to stablecoin adoption in business is not absent of obstacles, but none of the obstacles are insurmountable. The pain points are well-defined; many are already being tackled in pieces by forward-thinking companies and projects. What’s needed now is a concerted effort to address these gaps with practical, user-friendly solutions. By targeting underserved segments and their specific needs, and by developing the “glue” that connects stablecoins with everyday business operations, developers can unlock significant value – for themselves, for businesses, and for the broader economy. The year 2025 and beyond is poised to be a turning point where stablecoins move from the periphery of finance into its core workflows . Those who build the picks and shovels for this digital gold rush stand to reap substantial rewards, while also advancing financial innovation. In other words, solving these pain points isn’t just good deeds – it’s good business.
Sources:
- PYMNTS – Stablecoins Keep Racking Up Milestones, but Can They Crack B2B Payments?
- PYMNTS – Interview with Stable Sea CEO on cross-border payment pain points
- Orbital (Alexandra Lartey) – Stablecoins: Solving Real-World Challenges in B2B Payments (use cases and adoption hurdles)
- a16z (Sam Broner) – How stablecoins will eat payments (stablecoin benefits for SMEs, payment cost analysis)
- Banking Dive – Stablecoins face obstacles to widespread adoption (Money20/20 panel insights)
- Fintech Takes (Alex Johnson) – The Trouble With Stablecoins (critical analysis of stablecoin payments vs. card networks)
- Deloitte – 2025 – The year of payment stablecoins (risk, accounting, and tax considerations)
- Transfi – Efficient Stablecoin Payout Solutions: A Comprehensive Guide (stablecoin payout mechanics and benefits)
- Orbital – example of cost savings via stablecoins in B2B FX processes and e-commerce plugins boosting sales
- a16z – stablecoin vs traditional remittance cost comparison and Stripe stablecoin fee initiative .
