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Nearly half of consumers across Asia-Pacific (APAC) expect to use stablecoins within the next five years, according to a Visa survey covering 14,250 people in 14 markets. However, most respondents still have limited knowledge of how the digital assets work, while fears of fraud continue to discourage adoption.
The Consumer 360 study, released on October 5, found that 46% of respondents were likely to use stablecoins within five years. By comparison, 16% said they had used them in the past 12 months. The findings also indicate interest in using stablecoins for shopping, travel and international money transfers.
Visa found that consumers are looking beyond cryptocurrency trading when considering possible uses for stablecoins. Respondents expressed interest in paying for everyday purchases, spending while travelling and shopping from overseas retailers.
Cross-border payments also featured in the results. Nearly half of those surveyed, or 49%, believe stablecoins could become a common way to transfer money between countries within five years. These transfers could include remittances and other international payments.
The difference between past use and future expectations remains clear. While 16% of respondents had used stablecoins in the previous year, 46% said they were likely to use them by 2031.
Nischint Sanghavi, Visa’s head of digital currencies for Asia Pacific, said, “We're seeing a meaningful shift in how consumers across Asia Pacific think about stablecoins.” He said consumers were beginning to consider how the assets could fit into their existing spending and money transfer habits.
Despite the growing interest, only 6% of respondents demonstrated an accurate understanding of how stablecoins work. Visa also found that 49% of people who knew about stablecoins believed they were only used to buy and sell other cryptocurrencies.
Another misconception concerned their value. About 41% of respondents believed stablecoins always increase in value. In practice, these digital assets are generally designed to track the value of another asset, often a currency such as the U.S. dollar. Their market prices can still move away from the intended peg.
Security concerns also featured in the survey. Among respondents who were aware of stablecoins but had never used them, 38% cited fraud or scams as a concern. A further 36% said they lacked sufficient understanding of the assets.
Trust in providers was another factor. Government or central bank-linked entities were the most trusted stablecoin providers, according to 27% of respondents. Banks and regulated financial institutions followed at 26%.
Stablecoin awareness differed across the markets included in Visa’s research. Hong Kong recorded the highest level at 84%, followed by India at 80% and Thailand at 77%.
India and Vietnam had the strongest stated intention to use stablecoins within the next five years, with 67% of respondents in each market expressing interest. The figures show that awareness and expected use vary across Asia-Pacific.
Visa said it is working with banks, regulated financial institutions and payment partners to connect stablecoin services with familiar payment methods. Its Visa Stablecoin Platform is designed to help clients mint, move and manage stablecoins.
Payment company Reap is also preparing local-currency stablecoins for round-the-clock foreign-exchange settlement in Asia and other markets. Potential currencies include the Hong Kong dollar, South Korean won and Japanese yen.
The survey covered consumers aged 18 to 65 across mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Australia and New Zealand. Visa conducted the research between June and July 2026.
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