Bitcoin’s recent breakout above $100,000 is just one piece of a much bigger story: crypto is edging closer to the mainstream, and some of the biggest names in tech want in.
Among them is Meta, which is reportedly laying the groundwork to enable stablecoin payments across its platforms.
Sources suggest Meta is exploring partnerships that would allow creators to receive cross-border payouts in stablecoins, slashing costs and expanding reach. Early talks have involved firms like Circle, as Meta looks to build on its vast user base with financial tools that go far beyond social media.
The move hints at a larger trend. Stablecoins, long seen as niche instruments, are now attracting giants like Visa, Stripe, PayPal, and Fidelity—all seeking to offer faster, cheaper digital settlement options. With regulators in the U.S. signaling support for crypto clarity, the environment is becoming ripe for large-scale adoption. Forecasts from Citi and Standard Chartered suggest the stablecoin market could balloon to as much as $3.7 trillion by the end of the decade.
Meanwhile, Meta’s past failure with the Diem project appears to be a footnote rather than a dead end. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reengaged with the crypto space, appearing at fintech events and signaling openness to new payment models.
Political winds are shifting too. Former PayPal executive and Trump advisor David Sacks recently predicted a crypto bull era fueled by conservative support and growing distrust in the dollar.
As competition heats up—with USDT still dominating but new challengers entering—Meta’s influence could tip the scales. If crypto tools are introduced across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, stablecoin adoption could leap from the fringes to everyday use.
Anchorage Digital, a federally chartered crypto custody bank, is urging its institutional clients to move away from major stablecoins like USDC, Agora USD (AUSD), and Usual USD (USD0), recommending instead a shift to the Global Dollar (USDG) — a stablecoin issued by Paxos and backed by a consortium that includes Anchorage itself.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has voiced concerns over the rise of zero-knowledge (ZK) digital identity projects, specifically warning that systems like World — formerly Worldcoin and backed by OpenAI’s Sam Altman — could undermine pseudonymity in the digital world.
A new report by the European Central Bank (ECB) reveals that digital payment methods continue to gain ground across the euro area, though cash remains a vital part of the consumer payment landscape — particularly for small-value transactions and person-to-person (P2P) payments.
Geopolitical conflict rattles markets, but history shows panic selling crypto in response is usually the wrong move.