Stablecoin Cards Turn Crypto’s Last Mile Into a Payments Infrastructure Business
New stablecoin infrastructure is bridging the gap between digital assets and traditional retail registers via existing payment networks.
Curated by Financing Your Way from original reporting by PYMNTS. Summary is AI-assisted and editorially reviewed — see our editorial standards.
Stablecoins are moving away from being niche investment assets and toward becoming a functional payment method for everyday retail. The recent partnership between Thredd and Cashi highlights a shift in how digital currencies interact with traditional point-of-sale systems. Instead of merchants needing to install special crypto-terminals, new infrastructure is allowing stablecoins to run across existing Mastercard and Visa networks seamlessly. For retailers, this means a new segment of consumers may soon be looking to spend their digital holdings without the volatility associated with Bitcoin. Stablecoins are pegged to the U.S. dollar, making them more predictable for budgeting and transactions. As these 'stablecoin cards' become more standardized, the friction of converting digital assets into spendable cash at the register is disappearing. You don't necessarily need to change your hardware to tap into this market; the heavy lifting is happening at the infrastructure level. This could eventually open doors for lower-cost cross-border payments and alternative financing options that bypass traditional banking hurdles. While not a dominant payment form yet, the 'last mile' problem—actually using crypto at a physical store—is being solved by these bridge technologies.
Source: PYMNTS
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