SKN | Stripe Targets 100 Countries as Stablecoin Cards Move Into Mainstream Payments

Key Points:

• Stripe plans to expand stablecoin card programs to more than 100 countries by the end of 2026, extending access to digital-dollar payment infrastructure.
• Stablecoin card spending reached about $1.2 billion last month, roughly three times the level recorded a year earlier, according to Paymentscan data cited by CoinDesk.
• Stripe is also exploring tokenized deposits and DeFi use cases, signaling a broader strategy to integrate blockchain-based financial products into conventional payment infrastructure.

Stripe is accelerating its stablecoin strategy with plans to expand stablecoin-backed card programs to more than 100 countries by the end of 2026. The move comes as stablecoins evolve beyond crypto trading and cross-border transfers, increasingly becoming a payments infrastructure layer for fintechs, businesses and consumers.

Stablecoin Card Spending Is Scaling

The planned expansion comes as activity in stablecoin-backed cards continues to grow. Approximately $1.2 billion of stablecoins were spent through cards last month, about three times the volume recorded a year earlier, according to Paymentscan data cited by CoinDesk. Although the figure remains small relative to the global card payments market, the growth rate indicates that stablecoins are increasingly being used for everyday transactions rather than remaining primarily within digital-asset markets.

Stripe’s existing customer base includes Kraken, Ramp and Morse, giving the company exposure to both crypto-native users and financial technology platforms. Stripe says it has issued more than 400 million cards and processed hundreds of billions of dollars in card volume since 2018, providing an established distribution network for its stablecoin offering.

Bridge and Privy Strengthen the Infrastructure

The expansion is closely linked to Stripe’s broader acquisitions and infrastructure strategy. The company acquired stablecoin infrastructure provider Bridge for $1.1 billion in 2024 and acquired crypto wallet infrastructure firm Privy in 2025. Together, those businesses give Stripe capabilities spanning stablecoin movement, wallets and card issuance.

The strategic significance is that platforms can potentially use stablecoins without building banking and payment connections independently in every market. At Stripe’s 2026 Sessions, the company said stablecoin-backed cards could already be enabled in 30 countries, while its broader Treasury infrastructure was being expanded internationally.

Stripe is also supporting Open USD (OUSD), which became available across its stablecoin products in September. Businesses can use OUSD through Stripe Treasury, payments, global payouts and stablecoin cards, while the company says it intends to remain agnostic toward both stablecoins and blockchains.

Tokenized Deposits and DeFi Expand the Roadmap

Stripe’s strategy extends beyond card payments. Henri Stern, who now oversees stablecoins and crypto at Stripe, said the company is exploring tokenized deposits, DeFi applications and additional digital assets as payment currencies, although stablecoins remain the core focus of its crypto work.

This could eventually connect payment cards with a wider range of on-chain financial infrastructure. However, tokenized deposits and DeFi introduce different regulatory, liquidity, custody and technology considerations from conventional stablecoin payments. For institutional participants, the important question will be whether Stripe can integrate these products while maintaining the compliance and reliability expected from traditional payment infrastructure.

Global Expansion Will Test Real-World Adoption

The next stage of Stripe’s strategy will be measured less by the number of countries covered than by actual transaction activity. The company will need platforms to launch programs, users to maintain stablecoin balances and merchants to support the resulting payment flows at scale.

For crypto investors and institutions, the expansion is significant because it provides another indication that stablecoins are moving toward the center of global financial infrastructure. If Stripe’s rollout translates into sustained usage across more than 100 markets, it could strengthen the case for stablecoins as a practical payments rail while creating a larger foundation for tokenized deposits and other on-chain financial applications.