Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), Thailand's oldest bank, is set to launch stablecoin-based cross-border payment and remittance services in partnership with fintech company Lightnet.
This service will enable 24/7 transactions while lowering costs, making it appealing for recipients of higher-value currencies.
Lightnet’s CEO emphasized that this initiative promotes financial inclusion by reducing capital requirements for transactions and offering distinct benefits to various customer segments.
The bank’s services were tested in the Bank of Thailand’s regulatory sandbox, which allows for the experimentation of digital assets under relaxed regulations.
In emerging markets, US dollar-backed stablecoins are becoming popular for preserving value against weakening local currencies. A report from Chainalysis indicates that stablecoins now represent about 43% of crypto transaction volumes in Sub-Saharan Africa, and in Venezuela, stablecoins made up over half of digital asset remittances in 2023.
Mastercard’s recent findings show that remittances to South America are growing rapidly, predicting that stablecoins will continue to expand their influence in the digital economy.
7-Eleven stores in South Korea are set to embrace the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) as a payment option until June, participating in the ongoing national trial of digital currency.
Circle’s recent move to file for an IPO has sparked skepticism among industry experts, who are raising questions about the company’s financial health and future prospects.
Tokenized gold is gaining momentum, with its market cap now surpassing $1.2 billion, driven by record-high gold prices and increasing interest in blockchain-based assets.
The crypto market might be on the verge of hitting a local bottom within the next two months, as ongoing uncertainty around US import tariffs keeps investor sentiment low.