Stablecoin remittances cost 84% less than traditional transfers, report says

Stablecoin transfers slash remittance costs by 84%

A new report from Borderless.xyz shows that sending money across borders using stablecoins — digital tokens tied to the value of a fiat currency like the US dollar — costs far less than traditional banking channels. The difference comes to roughly 84% in fees.

For a typical $200 remittance, Borderless found the median cost using stablecoins was 1%, or about $2. The same transfer through traditional routes, based on World Bank data, averaged 6.36%, or $12.72. The savings come from cutting out multiple intermediaries that traditionally handle cross-border payments.

Emerging markets see the biggest gap

The cost advantage is especially large in developing regions. In Sub-Saharan Africa, stablecoin remittances cost 2.9% compared to 8.46% for traditional transfers. In Latin America, stablecoin fees were 1.25% versus 5.64% for conventional methods.

Business payments showed similarly steep differences. A $10,000 transfer to the eurozone cost as little as $26 through the cheapest stablecoin provider, versus $52 at the median provider for the same corridor. A traditional international bank wire for the same amount ran between $135 and $150 when transfer fees and a standard 1% foreign-exchange margin were included.

Settlement is fast but reliability varies

Beyond cost, the report found that stablecoin-funded payments can reach recipients' local bank accounts in minutes. In Brazil, payouts through the PIX network settled in a median of two minutes. Mexico's SPEI network took three minutes, and Colombia's PSE network also averaged two minutes. Traditional SWIFT transfers, by contrast, typically settle the next business day, with the slowest 10% taking three days.

However, payout completion rates varied widely. Mexico's SPEI completed 98.6% of payouts, followed by Brazil's PIX at 97.8%. Colombia's PSE completed 79%, and Costa Rica's SINPE system reached only 73%.

Stablecoin usage continues to grow

The findings come as stablecoin transaction activity keeps rising. Standard Chartered recently highlighted increasing volumes despite relatively flat growth in the overall stablecoin market capitalization this year. The bank expects the stablecoin market to reach $2 trillion by 2030, two years later than its previous forecast.

What the data covers

The cost comparison draws on Borderless.xyz third-quarter 2026 pricing and World Bank data from the same period in 2025. The settlement speed figures are from Borderless's third quarter of 2026. Not every country or payment corridor covered in the report showed the same results, and completion rates varied significantly depending on the local network used.

Why the cost difference matters

Lower fees matter most for people sending money to families in developing countries, where traditional transfer costs can eat up a significant share of the amount being sent. Faster settlement also improves cash flow for both individuals and businesses making cross-border payments.

Source

• Cointelegraph