Stablecoins have become the most purchased cryptocurrency assets in several emerging markets, overtaking Bitcoin in day-to-day transaction demand.
In Nigeria, stablecoins is dominating financial activity within the country’s Web3 sector.
According to cryptocurrency exchange reports, Nigeria recorded $48.2 million in 24-hour peer-to-peer stablecoin trading volume and Stablecoin deposits increased by 9,000% between 2018 and 2025.
89% of Web3 startup funding ($38 million of $43 million in 2025) went into financial use cases, mostly stablecoin-based applications
Tak Lee, chief executive of Hashed Emergent, said of this:
“Nigeria’s Web3 journey has evolved beyond early adoption into a more mature, utility-driven ecosystem capable of shaping both local and global markets.”
Regulatory developments in Nigeria, including the Investment and Securities Act 2025, now classify digital assets as securities, although the implementation remains inconsistent.
Similarly, a report by Latin American cryptocurrency exchange, Bitso showed that stablecoins accounted for 40% of all crypto purchases in 2025, compared with 18% for Bitcoin. Within that stablecoin share, USD Coin (USDC) represented 24%, while Tether (USDT) accounted for 16%.
However, Bitcoin remains the dominant asset held by users, making up 52% of total portfolio holdings on the platform.
The report said users in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia are increasingly using stablecoins to preserve value and move money across borders.
“Stablecoins have become the most purchased crypto assets in Latin America, overtaking Bitcoin as the region’s preferred digital asset,” the Bitso report stated.
While stablecoins are expanding in transaction use, Bitcoin continues to attract institutional capital.
Data from US-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) shows net inflows of $1.97 billion in April 2026, the highest monthly total this year. Combined ETF inflows for March and April reached over $3.3 billion, reversing earlier outflows in January and February.
Bitcoin is currently trading at approximately $78,645, up 2.98% in recent trading sessions. Ethereum stands at $2,313, while Solana is priced at $84.50.
Market data indicates that Bitcoin ETF products have accumulated more than $58 billion in total inflows since launch though retail usage patterns is moving towards stablecoins.
