Stablecoin-funded remittances are still delivering a large cost advantage over traditional money transfers, with a new third-quarter report from Borderless.xyz showing lower fees for both consumer remittances and cross-border business payments.
According to the stablecoin payments network, sending a $200 remittance through stablecoin-funded payment rails carries a median cost of 1%, or $2. Using World Bank data, the report compares that with a 6.36% cost, or $12.72, for traditional remittances.
That makes the stablecoin-funded route roughly 84% cheaper. The comparison, however, uses Borderless pricing from the third quarter of 2026 and World Bank figures from the same period in 2025.
Lower costs also show up across emerging markets
The report says the savings remain notable in emerging-market corridors.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, stablecoin-funded remittances cost 2.9%, compared with 8.46% for traditional transfers. In Latin America, the figures are 1.25% and 5.64%, respectively.
Borderless says business payments made with stablecoins are also materially cheaper. A $10,000 transfer to the eurozone funded with stablecoins can cost as little as $26 when routed through the lowest-cost provider, while the median provider across all corridors charges $52.
For the same amount, a traditional international bank wire costs between $135 and $150, including transfer fees and an assumed 1% foreign-exchange margin.
Settlement can take minutes, but completion rates differ
Beyond fees, the report found that stablecoin-funded payments can reach recipients’ local bank accounts within minutes, depending on the payment network used.
In the third quarter of 2026, payouts through Brazil’s PIX network settled in a median of two minutes. Mexico’s SPEI network took three minutes, and Colombia’s PSE network also posted a median settlement time of two minutes.
Traditional SWIFT transfers, by comparison, typically settled on the next business day, with the slowest 10% taking three business days.
Reliability varied across payout networks. Mexico’s SPEI completed 98.6% of payouts, followed by Brazil’s PIX at 97.8%. Colombia’s PSE recorded a 79% completion rate, while Costa Rica’s SINPE came in at 73%.
Activity continues to expand
The report comes as stablecoin transaction activity continues to grow. Standard Chartered recently said transaction volumes are rising even as overall stablecoin market capitalization growth has remained relatively flat this year.
The bank expects the stablecoin market to reach $2 trillion by 2030, which is two years later than its previous forecast.