Record stablecoin transfer activity on Ethereum
The Ethereum network processed a record volume of stablecoin transfers during October through December 2025, according to onchain data analytics by Token Terminal.
Sources shows stablecoin transfers on Ethereum approaching nearly $8 trillion in Q4 2025. This total surpassed previous quarters and, by certain measures, exceeded recent volumes seen in traditional payment networks Visa and Mastercard over comparable periods.
This surge underscores Ethereum’s increasing role in high-value settlement activity, particularly as stablecoins like USDC and USDT dominate on-chain value transfers. For example, in October 2025 alone, Ethereum recorded over $2.8 trillion in stablecoin flows, led by USDC and USDT transactions.
Regulatory momentum supporting growth
A key driver behind the surge in stablecoin activity has been regulatory clarity in major markets. In the United States, President Donald Trump signed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act) into law on July 18, 2025, establishing the first comprehensive federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins.
This legislation creates licensing and oversight requirements for stablecoin issuers, imposes anti-money-laundering programs, and sets standards for reserve backing and issuer conduct.
The GENIUS Act is widely viewed as a catalyst for institutional engagement because it provides legal clarity for stablecoin issuance and market participation, a long-sought objective of the digital asset industry.
European stablecoin regulation has also evolved with the implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, effective in 2025, which among other measures, allows compliant euro-denominated stablecoins to operate within the European Union under clear regulatory standards.
Market share and network metrics
Onchain metrics reflect increased network use related to stablecoins and broader activity:
-
Daily transactions on Ethereum reached multi-year highs in late 2025, driven by financial settlement, decentralized finance, and real-world asset tokenization, with external reports noting record levels of smart contract deployments in the quarter.
-
Stablecoin issuance continued to grow through 2025, with market capitalization rising into the high-hundreds of billions for major tokens, driven by demand for digital liquidity and cross-border settlement use cases.
Real-world asset tokenization on Ethereum
Beyond stablecoins, Ethereum has retained a leading position in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA). This trend reflects enterprises and institutions leveraging blockchain for digital representations of financial instruments and alternative assets.
The RWA market on Ethereum continues to expand, with hundreds of millions of dollars in tokenized assets reported by sector analysts.
Outlook for 2026
Market analysts predict sustained growth in Ethereum stablecoin transfers and related financial activity in 2026, driven by continued regulatory refinement, institutional adoption, and expansion of compliant stablecoin offerings.
For instance, consortia of European banks have announced plans to issue regulated stablecoins pegged to the euro, aimed at facilitating cross-border payments and liquidity settlement upon launch later in the year.
