Borderless.xyz, a stablecoin payments network, said in its third-quarter report that the median cost of sending a $200 remittance through stablecoin rails was 1%, or $2. By comparison, World Bank data put the median cost for traditional remittance channels at 6.36%, or $12.72.
Using those figures, the report said stablecoin remittances were about 84% cheaper. The comparison was based on Borderless pricing in the third quarter of 2026 and World Bank data from the same period in 2025.
Cost gap in emerging markets
The report said the cost advantage was also clear in emerging markets.
- In Sub-Saharan Africa, stablecoin remittance costs were 2.9%, versus 8.46% for traditional transfers.
- In Latin America, the figures were 1.25% for stablecoin transfers and 5.64% for traditional channels.
Business payment costs
For business payments, a $10,000 stablecoin transfer into the euro area cost as little as $26 with the lowest-cost provider. At the median provider, the fee was $52.
A traditional international bank wire for the same amount cost $135 to $150, including transfer fees and a 1% foreign-exchange spread.
Settlement times and success rates
Borderless said stablecoin payments could reach a recipient's local bank account within minutes. In the third quarter, the median settlement time was 2 minutes on Brazil's PIX network, 3 minutes on Mexico's SPEI, and 2 minutes on Colombia's PSE.
Traditional SWIFT transfers typically settled the next day, while the slowest 10% took 3 business days.
Success rates varied across local payment networks. Mexico's SPEI posted 98.6%, Brazil's PIX 97.8%, Colombia's PSE 79%, and Costa Rica's SINPE 73%.
Standard Chartered's market projection
Standard Chartered said recently that while total stablecoin market capitalization has grown at a relatively moderate pace this year, transaction volume is still increasing. The bank projected the market would reach $2 trillion by 2030, two years later than its previous forecast.