Using stablecoins for international money transfers can reduce costs by 84% compared with traditional payment systems.
Payment network Borderless.xyz published its Q3 2026 report comparing the cost and speed of stablecoin-based cross-border transfers with traditional banking channels. According to the study, the average fee for a $200 transfer using stablecoins was 1%, or $2. By comparison, traditional remittance fees reached 6.36%, or $12.72, according to World Bank data. This represents savings of about 84%.
The cost difference was also substantial in emerging markets. In Sub-Saharan Africa, stablecoin-based remittance fees were 2.9%, compared with 8.46% for traditional transfers. In Latin America, the respective rates were 1.25% and 5.64%.
Stablecoins also significantly reduced costs for cross-border B2B payments. According to Borderless.xyz, sending $10,000 to the eurozone cost $26 through the lowest-cost provider, while the average cost across providers and all surveyed corridors was $52. By comparison, a traditional international bank transfer of the same amount costs between $135 and $150, including transfer fees and an assumed 1% foreign-exchange margin.
The study also identified significant differences in settlement speeds. Average times for funds to reach local bank accounts through selected payment networks were:
Brazil (PIX): 2 minutes;
Mexico (SPEI): 3 minutes;
Colombia (PSE): 2 minutes.
Traditional international SWIFT transfers typically settled on the next business day. The slowest 10% of transactions took 3 business days.
However, faster settlement didn’t always translate into comparable payment reliability. Mexico’s SPEI recorded the highest payout completion rate at 98.6%. Brazil’s PIX followed at 97.8%, while Colombia’s PSE and Costa Rica’s SINPE recorded completion rates of 79% and 73%, respectively.
The findings came amid growing transaction activity in the stablecoin market. According to Visa, adjusted stablecoin transaction volume reached $1.79 trillion in June 2026. For more insights into the stablecoin market in H1 2026, read CP Media’s exclusive research report.
