Binance Research says 77% of Binance users will be in emerging markets by 2026, pointing to a user base shaped less by speculation and more by access to financial services. The report adds that 83% of people using two or more Binance products are also based in emerging economies. Compared with users in developed countries, this group saves at roughly twice the rate.
Stablecoins take a larger share of user portfolios
The report says 36% of users in these markets who hold at least $10 on Binance allocate half or more of their portfolios to stablecoins. On a global basis, stablecoins as a share of user portfolios climbed from 4% in 2020 to 28% in 2026. The shift points to growing use of stable digital assets in places where local currencies are volatile and preserving purchasing power matters more than chasing short-term gains.
Binance wrote that while crypto adoption as both an investment tool and a financial access tool is expanding quickly, especially in emerging markets, users are directing a rising share of funds into stablecoins. That pattern is hard to miss. In regions where banking networks remain thin, exchanges are increasingly acting as an alternative layer of financial infrastructure.
Gaps in formal finance are feeding digital payment demand
World Bank data cited in the article shows that 1.3 billion adults still lack access to formal financial services worldwide. Of that total, 900 million own cell phones and 530 million have smartphones. Binance also says about 4.7 billion adults face difficulties accessing credit, 3.6 billion do not use digital payments or cards, and 1.4 billion people in low- and middle-income countries earn no interest on their savings.
For markets with weak financial inclusion, Binance highlights the utility of cryptocurrencies, especially stablecoins, in payments. According to its data, fees can drop as low as $0.0001 per transfer, with fast settlement. A single international SWIFT transfer, by comparison, can cost at least $20. The article also notes that recent World Bank figures show average global remittance fees still remain above the United Nations target of 3%.
Brazil data shows how dominant stablecoins have become
In developing markets, stablecoin growth is tied largely to cross-border payments and lower-cost value storage. Brazil’s tax authorities report that as much as 90% of the country’s crypto trading volume involves stablecoins. That figure gives a clear sense of how heavily these assets are being used in places dealing with currency instability and expensive remittance channels.
At the same time, Moody’s and the International Monetary Fund have warned that broad stablecoin adoption could weaken control over national currencies and introduce new vulnerabilities into financial systems. Those concerns remain central for regulators, especially in countries where monetary infrastructure is already fragile.
The numbers in the report suggest that as long as large gaps in financial access remain in place, crypto platforms will keep drawing more participation across developing economies, with stablecoins staying at the center of that demand.