Stablecoins are increasingly moving beyond cryptocurrency exchanges and blockchain transfers into ordinary consumer payments. Spending through tracked crypto payment cards reached approximately USD 1.04 billion in July, more than tripling over the past year. Dollar-backed stablecoins were responsible for most of this activity, with users increasingly paying for groceries, transportation, restaurants and online subscriptions directly from their digital asset balances.

More than 10 million transactions

According to data from payment analytics platform Paymentscan, tracked crypto card spending reached approximately USD 1.04 billion in July. More than 10 million transactions were recorded during the month, while the average payment increased to approximately USD 86 from USD 59 a year earlier. The combination of higher transaction volume and a growing number of purchases therefore points not only to larger individual payments, but also to more frequent use of crypto-linked cards.

The development represents a significant change compared with the early stages of the sector. Crypto cards were initially used mainly as a practical method of converting digital assets into fiat currency at the point of purchase. The latest spending patterns, however, increasingly resemble ordinary consumer card activity. Users are paying for food delivery, ride-hailing services, groceries, restaurants and recurring online subscriptions, suggesting that stablecoin balances are gradually becoming usable payment accounts rather than only instruments for trading or transferring value.

USDC and USDT dominate

Dollar-backed stablecoins account for most of the tracked card activity. USDC represented approximately 50.8% of July volume, while USDT accounted for another 20.3%. Combined, the two largest dollar stablecoins therefore funded more than 70% of the measured activity. A year earlier, their respective shares were approximately 48% and 7%, meaning that USDT recorded a substantial increase in its role as a card funding asset.

At the same time, the position of euro-denominated alternatives has weakened significantly. EURe, which represented as much as 88% of tracked crypto card spending during parts of early 2024, accounted for less than 2% in July 2026. The shift indicates that the growth of crypto card payments is increasingly connected to demand for digital dollars, particularly in markets where users already rely on stablecoins as a way to store value or access dollar-denominated balances.

Existing payment infrastructure

The growth does not mean that merchants themselves need to accept stablecoins. Crypto and stablecoin-linked cards generally operate through established payment networks such as Visa or Mastercard. Depending on the product, users either deposit stablecoins with the card provider or hold them in a compatible wallet. When a payment is made, the digital asset balance is converted, and the merchant receives the transaction in the conventional currency supported by the existing payment infrastructure.

This model allows stablecoins to reach traditional merchants without requiring stores to integrate blockchain technology. Visa stated in June that more than 160 stablecoin-linked card programs were already live or in development globally. The company enables consumers and businesses to spend stablecoin balances through its existing card network, while developers using Stripe-owned Bridge are expanding stablecoin-linked Visa cards from 18 countries toward more than 100 markets.

From savings to everyday spending

Stablecoin card adoption is particularly visible in markets such as Brazil and Argentina, where users increasingly rely on digital dollars for groceries, transportation, food delivery and subscriptions. However, the available figures cover only part of the global market and are concentrated among several large providers, with some data based on self-reported figures. The USD 1 billion threshold should therefore be viewed as evidence of rapidly growing adoption within the tracked market, rather than a complete measure of all stablecoin-funded card payments worldwide.

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