Stablecoin transfer volume hits a record, soaring by $10 trillion in January.

crypthub

about 1 hour ago

Record Transfer Volume

January 2025 saw stablecoin transfers exceed $10 trillion, the highest monthly total since April 2022. The milestone surpasses the quarterly GDP of economies like Italy, indicating a broad utility shift. Analysts cite clearer regulations and lower blockchain fees as key enablers. Stablecoins are now used for cross‑border payments, treasury management and derivatives collateral, not just speculation.

DeFi vs Centralized Exchanges

DeFi liquidity pools handled about 56 % of the flow, roughly $5.6 trillion, reflecting a move toward automated market makers across Ethereum, Solana and Layer‑2s. Centralized exchanges retained approximately $80 billion in stablecoins, serving as on‑hand liquidity and a potential source of buying pressure. The diversified pool architecture routes capital efficiently across chains, confirming the robustness of permission‑less systems.

Implications and Risks

The surge underscores stablecoins as a backbone of a 24/7 global settlement layer and signals growing institutional confidence. However, sustainability depends on peg stability, regulatory stance and the concentration of volume in a few protocols. Network upgrades that kept fees low during the surge boost the case for further institutional adoption, while smart‑contract and oracle vulnerabilities remain the primary systemic risks.

Stablecoin transfer volume hits a record, soaring by $10 trillion in January.

Record Transfer Volume

DeFi vs Centralized Exchanges

Implications and Risks

Stablecoin transfer volume hits a record, soaring by $10 trillion in January.