The report clarified that transaction volume reflects frequency of use rather than total value held. Separately, major Swiss institutions including UBS, PostFinance and Sygnum Bank have partnered with Swiss Stablecoin AG to launch a 2026 sandbox to test Swiss franc stablecoin use cases. The initiative builds on earlier proof-of-concept trials under the Swiss Bankers Association.
Chainalysis Predicts Stablecoin Boom
Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis projected that stablecoin transaction volumes could reach unprecedented levels over the next decade. According to its latest report, stablecoin volumes could grow to as much as $719 trillion by 2035 through organic expansion alone. This already represents a dramatic acceleration, but the firm suggests that under more optimistic conditions, the figure could climb as high as $1.5 quadrillion.
Projected stablecoin volume growth 2023 - 2035 (Source: Chainalysis)
The higher-end projection is based on two major catalysts that could drive adoption and usage. The first is the ongoing generational wealth transfer, with an estimated $100 trillion expected to move from baby boomers to younger generations who are more comfortable with digital assets and blockchain-based financial systems.
The second factor is the increasing likelihood that stablecoins could replace or disrupt traditional payment infrastructure, becoming a default medium for global transactions.
Chainalysis explained that if these catalysts materialize, stablecoin volumes could surpass the current estimated $1 quadrillion in global cross-border payment flows. This would position stablecoins not just as a niche crypto use case but as a dominant force in global finance. However, the report also acknowledges that such projections are a ceiling-case scenario rather than a guaranteed outcome.
Industry analysts emphasize that transaction volume should not be confused with total value held. Stablecoins can be reused multiple times in a short period, which means that the same unit of currency can facilitate numerous transactions in a single day. This characteristic amplifies reported volumes and reflects the efficiency of blockchain-based settlement systems rather than just the size of the underlying asset base.
Also supporting this growth narrative is the development of infrastructure and increasing institutional involvement. Partnerships between major payment companies and crypto firms, alongside acquisitions aimed at strengthening blockchain capabilities, indicate that traditional finance is actively preparing for a more integrated future. At the same time, improving regulatory clarity is expected to unlock even more participation from institutional players.
Adoption trends also point toward continued expansion. Surveys show that younger generations, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are a lot more inclined to increase their engagement with crypto assets compared to older demographics.
Generations trust in crypto (Source: OKX)
While the $1.5 quadrillion projection may seem very ambitious, the underlying trends suggest that stablecoins are on a trajectory of rapid growth, with the potential to become a foundational layer of the global financial system.
Swiss Banks Launch Stablecoin Sandbox
Stablecoins are also making good progress in Switzerland. A group of major Swiss financial institutions, including UBS, PostFinance, Sygnum Bank, Raiffeisen Schweiz, Zürcher Kantonalbank and Banque Cantonale Vaudoise, joined forces with Swiss Stablecoin AG to launch a sandbox initiative aimed at testing use cases for a Swiss franc-backed stablecoin.
The project is set to run in 2026, and will provide a secure live digital environment where participating institutions can experiment with blockchain-based payment solutions and gain practical experience in handling digital currencies.
The sandbox will be supported by Swiss Stablecoin AG, which will supply the issuance infrastructure, and it is still open to additional banks, companies and institutions interested in participating. The initiative is another step in Switzerland’s push to integrate blockchain technology into traditional finance, particularly in exploring how tokenized versions of the Swiss franc could function in existing financial systems.
This follows earlier efforts by Swiss institutions to experiment with blockchain-based payments. In September of 2025, UBS, PostFinance and Sygnum completed a proof of concept under the Swiss Bankers Association, demonstrating the feasibility of tokenized deposits for interbank transactions on public blockchains.
The trial tested real-world applications like customer payments and escrow-style exchanges involving tokenized assets, while ensuring compliance with Swiss regulatory standards.
Although the results confirmed that blockchain-based institutional payments are viable, the association noticed that more design improvements and collaboration across the financial ecosystem would be necessary to scale these solutions effectively. The new sandbox initiative is expected to build on these findings.
