Stablecoins are expected to establish themselves as core infrastructure in the global financial system by 2026, an outlook says.

On Dec. 30, blockchain outlet Cointelegraph cited the views of 20 cryptocurrency experts in reporting six key changes expected to shape the stablecoin market.

First, stablecoins are likely to become established as a payment method in decentralised finance (DeFi) and in traditional financial systems. Tyler Sloan, co-founder of Neura, stressed that stablecoins will no longer be an auxiliary element of the crypto market but will become a core part of the financial system. Stephan Dallal, chief legal officer at Open World, forecast that by 2026 stablecoins will be integrated into global payment networks and account for more than 10 percent of cross-border transactions.

Changes are also expected on the regulatory front. Adrian Wall, managing director at the Digital Sovereignty Alliance, forecast that regulated dollar-based stablecoins will be included in mainstream payment systems, and that banks, fintech and retail industries will actively use them. But regulatory uncertainty could also split the market. Eli Cohen, chief legal officer at Centrifuge, warned that if stablecoin markets fragment due to regulatory differences, retail investors face a high risk of exposure to flawed profit structures.

The spread of stablecoins is also expected to accelerate in emerging markets. Daniel Ahmed, chief operating officer at Fasset, said stablecoins are becoming an everyday payment method in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

In traditional finance, tokenised deposits could challenge stablecoins. Simon McLoughlin, chief executive at Uphold, said tokenised deposits could digitise existing bank deposits on blockchain, keep regulatory protections, and erode the stablecoin market.

By 2026, stablecoins are likely to move beyond being a simple cryptocurrency and become a core element of global finance. But challenges remain, including regulation, market fragmentation and competition with tokenised deposits.