In our Stablecoins 101 article, we covered what stablecoins are and why they’ve become a major topic in both finance and crypto. Now, let’s dive deeper into how businesses, specifically corporate treasurers, are using stablecoins to enhance financial operations.
From faster payments to improved liquidity management, stablecoins are changing the way companies move and store value. Here’s what treasurers need to know about integrating stablecoins into their financial strategy.
Why Are Corporate Treasurers Paying Attention to Stablecoins?
Traditionally, corporate treasurers manage cash flow, payments, and liquidity using bank accounts, wire transfers, and traditional financial instruments. But these methods come with challenges:
- Slow cross-border payments – International wire transfers can take days.
- High transaction costs – Payment intermediaries and FX fees add up.
- Limited flexibility – Traditional banking hours and regulations create delays.
Stablecoins provide a blockchain-based alternative, offering:
- Faster transactions – Settlements in minutes, not days, even across borders.
- Lower fees – Stablecoin transfers often cost a fraction of traditional payment methods.
- 24/7 availability – Unlike banks, stablecoin transactions can happen anytime.
- Programmability – Smart contracts enable automated payments, escrow, and financial workflows.
These benefits make stablecoins an attractive addition to corporate treasury operations, especially for companies operating across multiple currencies and regions.
How Businesses Are Using Stablecoins Today
1. Faster and Cheaper Cross-Border Payments
One of the most widespread use cases for stablecoins is international payments and remittances. Traditional banking systems rely on intermediaries, SWIFT transfers, and high fees, leading to long processing times and inefficiencies. Stablecoins allow businesses to bypass these hurdles and send funds globally in minutes at a fraction of the cost.
- Speed: Transactions settle in seconds to minutes instead of days.
- Cost Savings: Fees are significantly lower compared to traditional wire transfers.
- Global Accessibility: Businesses can send and receive stablecoins without requiring a bank account in every country they operate in.
Example: Visa and Mastercard have integrated stablecoin payments into their networks to enable faster settlements for merchants and financial institutions.
Example: Fintech companies like Revolut and Wise are exploring stablecoins as an alternative to traditional foreign exchange (FX) services, reducing costs for businesses that operate across multiple currencies.
2. B2B Settlements & Real-Time Payments
For business-to-business (B2B) transactions, stablecoins remove the need for intermediaries, enabling real-time, low-cost settlements between suppliers, vendors, and partners. This is particularly useful in industries where instant payment finality is crucial, such as logistics, supply chain management, and e-commerce.
- Eliminates Payment Delays: Payments settle immediately instead of waiting for bank processing.
- Reduces Counterparty Risk: Businesses can send and receive funds instantly, without relying on banks for clearance.
- Works 24/7: Unlike traditional bank transfers, stablecoin payments can be made on weekends and holidays.
Example 1: MoneyGram and Western Union have explored stablecoins for instant remittances, bypassing legacy banking rails.
Example 2: IBM’s blockchain-based payments network, World Wire, enables financial institutions to use stablecoins for international B2B settlements, reducing dependency on correspondent banks.
3. On-Ramping to Digital Asset Markets
Companies engaged in the crypto and Web3 space use stablecoins as a bridge between traditional finance and digital assets. Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, stablecoins allow businesses to hold digital assets with predictable value, making them an ideal tool for treasury management and operational expenses.
- Liquidity Management: Companies use stablecoins to move funds between exchanges or protocols without converting to fiat.
- Minimizing Volatility: Businesses can quickly convert crypto to stablecoins to hedge against market fluctuations.
- Efficient Payroll & Vendor Payments: Companies operating in the Web3 space pay employees, contractors, and service providers in stablecoins for faster, lower-cost transactions.
Example 1: Tesla has incorporated crypto holdings into their treasury strategies, leveraging stablecoins for liquidity.
Example 1: Crypto-native payroll platforms like Deel and Bitwage allow companies to pay international employees in stablecoins, reducing FX conversion fees and ensuring workers receive their wages faster.
Final Thoughts: Are Stablecoins Right for Your Business?
Stablecoins are no longer just a crypto experiment, they’re a mainstream financial tool with real-world business applications. For corporate treasurers, they offer efficiency, cost savings, and faster settlement times compared to traditional banking.
However, integrating stablecoins requires thoughtful planning, especially around compliance, accounting, and custody risks.
In the next article in our series, Stablecoins 103, we’ll explore the operational, accounting, and tax challenges of using stablecoins – and how businesses can efficiently manage them.
Interested in stablecoin accounting and compliance? Taxbit helps businesses automate financial reporting for digital assets. Talk to our experts today.
