The President of Ripple said that Stablecoins will go from pilot to production
Journalist
Tanzil Akhtar
Journalist
Tanzil Akhtar
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According to Ripple President Monica Long, stablecoins are poised to become the foundational layer of global finance in the next two years, with the asset class moving from test pilots to full production with major payments.
In the year In a commentary detailing her expectations for 2026, Long argues that stablecoins are no longer a niche crypto innovation, but that cross-border payments are on the way to becoming the default infrastructure, directly within the legacy financial channels used by banks, merchants and corporations around the world.
Stablecoins are included in global payment rails.
A long line of recent developments from traditional payment giants shows that stablecoins are being “hard-wired” into existing systems.
The fact that Visa and Stripe are going live with USDC settlements for merchants marks a turning point where blockchain-based railroads are starting to be implemented into existing corporate payment flows rather than working in parallel, she says.
“By 2026, stablecoins will be integrated into legacy financial rails and fully integrated into global payment systems within the next five years,” Long said, noting that cross-border payments could be the first place where stablecoins emerge as the default settlement method.
B2B payments will drive the next wave of adoption
While previously stable coin growth has been driven by retail and remittances, Long said she expects business-to-business payments to lead the next phase of adoption.
B2B payments already account for the majority of stablecoin flows, a trend they believe will accelerate as corporations seek efficiency gains.
Beyond the rapid settlement, Long highlighted the impact on corporate balance sheets, particularly in Europe, where she estimated 1.3 trillion euros remained in working capital in payables, receivables and inventory.
Stablecoins have the potential to unlock this capital by enabling real-time settlements and improved cash flow management, she said.
Crypto moves from speculation to structure.
Long outlines an ongoing structural shift in the crypto sector. With more than $1 trillion in tokenized and digital assets by the end of 2026, she expects crypto to move from an alternative asset class to a cover of modern finance operations.
Regulatory transparency is a key enabler of this transition. He cites frameworks such as the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation that will lay the legal foundation for a truly stable coin market.
In the year By 2027, she expects banks and financial institutions in regulated jurisdictions to issue and maintain their own regulated stablecoins.
To accelerate retention and M&A
As institutional interest grows, Long will increase its integration into crypto infrastructure, particularly in custodial services.
As traditional banks, service providers and crypto firms look to accelerate their blockchain strategies, custodial products could spark a new wave of mergers and acquisitions, she said.
By 2026, it expects more than half of the world's top 50 banks to formalize a new digital asset protection relationship.
Looking ahead, Long believes crypto M&A will expand beyond the sector as companies pursue usability and scale.
“To reach the next billion users, especially institutions, crypto needs to be easy to use and move outside of the echo chamber,” she said.
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