Australian crypto exchange Swyftx said in its second-quarter industry report that the global gig and freelance payments market could reach $2.1 trillion by 2033, with AI-native workers accounting for $775 billion of that total. Using a base-case assumption of roughly 33% adoption, the firm projected that $262 billion of those flows would be settled in stablecoins.
Swyftx chief market analyst Pav Hundal said microbusinesses with fewer than five staff are becoming the fastest adopters of AI, creating a growing group of independent entrepreneurs that operate across borders and invoice frequently. The report estimates that this cohort now numbers about 6 million to 10 million worldwide and could rise to 17 million over the next decade.
The report also argues that traditional cross-border payment rails remain expensive and can take days to settle, while stablecoin transfers on Ethereum Layer 2 networks can cut fees by 80% to 90%. If the forecast holds, Swyftx said the institutional settlement layer serving these payments through OTC liquidity, custody and yield services could capture as much as $1.3 billion in new revenue by 2033. It added that stablecoin market capitalization has doubled over the past two years, and June trading volume hit a record $1.79 trillion.
Swyftx sees a large stablecoin opening in freelance payments
According to a second-quarter industry report from Australian crypto exchange Swyftx, the global gig and freelance payments market is projected to reach $2.1 trillion by 2033. AI-native workers are expected to account for $775 billion of that total.
Using a base-case assumption of about 33% adoption, Swyftx projected that $262 billion in those payment flows would be settled through stablecoins.
Microbusinesses are driving the shift, report says
Pav Hundal, chief market analyst at Swyftx, said microbusinesses with fewer than five employees are becoming the fastest adopters of AI. That trend is producing a group of independent entrepreneurs that operate across borders and send invoices at high frequency.
Swyftx estimates that this population now stands at roughly 6 million to 10 million globally and could grow to 17 million within the next 10 years.
Layer 2 transfers could cut costs sharply
The report said traditional cross-border payments carry high fees and often take days to settle. By contrast, stablecoin transfers on Ethereum Layer 2 networks can reduce costs by 80% to 90%.
Swyftx added that if its forecast proves accurate, the institutional settlement layer providing OTC liquidity, custody and yield services for these payments could capture as much as $1.3 billion in new revenue by 2033.
The report also said stablecoin market capitalization has doubled over the past two years, while June transaction volume reached a record $1.79 trillion.
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