Future Development Directions of Stablecoins: International Payments, Stock Tokenization and AI Assistants

Stablecoins, as a type of cryptocurrency, have unique advantages in the payment sector, especially in cross-border payments. There are "non-homogeneous" characteristics among different stablecoins, which will make the competition in the stablecoin market quite fierce. Currently, the tokenization of US stocks and AI assistants are two important directions for the expansion of stablecoin applications, which will have a significant impact on the liquidity of global financial markets.

The account system of stablecoins is simple, and transactions are not restricted by the banking account system, making transfers between users very convenient, characterized by "payment is settlement." This stands in stark contrast to the traditional financial system. Traditional cross-border remittances, international payments, and stock trading cannot achieve instant settlement and require a certain amount of time to complete the final settlement. In addition, compared to traditional financial accounts, opening a blockchain account is much simpler. In underdeveloped areas, people only need internet access and a mobile device to easily register a blockchain account.

Although stablecoins of the same type are equivalent in value, stablecoins from different issuers still have "non-homogeneous" characteristics. Taking USD stablecoins as an example, there is a significant difference in trading volume between USDC and USDT on exchanges. As the largest stablecoin, the widespread use of USDT is key to its market competitiveness. USDT is not only widely used on exchanges and DeFi platforms but is also generally recognized in developing countries, where it is used as a remittance and savings tool.

The tokenization of U.S. stocks as an important direction for the tokenization of physical assets ( RWA ) is expected to accelerate implementation and drive the growth of stablecoin demand. At the same time, the combination of AI assistants and stablecoins will also have a significant impact on global financial liquidity. Stablecoins are naturally suitable for payment operations by AI assistants, providing convenience for future AI applications.

Regulation and compliance of stablecoins still face challenges. How can individuals and enterprises safely store cryptocurrency assets? How can a comprehensive internal control and compliance system be established? These questions need systematic solutions. In addition, the widespread use of stablecoins may lead to the "offshoring" of fiat currencies, which is a major concern for regulators.

Overall, stablecoins are in a stage of application development and regulatory adaptation. With the advancement of stablecoin regulatory policies in places like the United States and Hong Kong, the stablecoin market is expected to experience rapid growth. Investors should pay attention to the RWA and stablecoin-related sectors, closely monitoring the implementation of applications such as tokenization of U.S. stocks and the issuance of stablecoin licenses in Hong Kong as catalytic factors. It is also important to be aware of risks related to the development of blockchain technology, changes in regulatory policies, and the realization of business models.