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Stablecoins could process more transaction volume than the US Automated Clearing House system in 2026, as regulatory clarity and rising adoption expand their usage, according to a new forecast.Galaxy Research, the research arm of digital asset company Galaxy Digital, pointed to existing transaction data and regulatory developments to support its <a href="https://www.galaxy.com/insights/research/predictions-2026-crypto-bitcoin-defi" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">prediction</a>, noting that “stablecoin transactions already eclipse major credit card networks such as Visa and now process roughly half the transaction volume of the automated clearing house (<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ACH</a>) system.”Thad Pinakiewicz, vice president of research, said stablecoin supply has continued to grow at a 30%–40% compound annual growth rate, with transaction volumes rising alongside issuance. Galaxy also cited the expected implementation of definitions under the <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/learn/articles/genius-act-how-it-could-reshape-us-stablecoin-regulation" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">GENIUS Act</a> in early 2026 as a factor supporting further growth in stablecoin usage.<figure><img alt="Galaxy predicts stablecoins will overtake ACH transaction volume in 2026" src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2025-12/019b380b-e965-759d-be8d-d2d12ddcaecd.png" title=""><figcaption>Stablecoin volume vs. other financial systems. Source: <a href="https://www.galaxy.com/insights/research/predictions-2026-crypto-bitcoin-defi" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Galaxy Digital</a></figcaption></figure>The paper also brings predictions for the price of Bitcoin (<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">BTC</a>), writing that it could reach $250,000 by the end of 2027. According to Galaxy Research head of firmwide research Alex Thorn, 2026 is “too chaotic to predict, though Bitcoin making new all-time highs in 2026 is still possible.”&nbsp;Related: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/coinbase-2026-crypto-outlook-institutional-adoption-regulation" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Coinbase ‘cautiously optimistic’ on 2026 as crypto nears institutional inflection point</a><h2 id="dollar-pegged-stablecoin-market-expands">Dollar-pegged stablecoin market expands</h2>According to <a href="https://defillama.com/stablecoins" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">data</a> from DefiLlama, the stablecoin market cap currently stands at about $309 billion. While Tether’s USDt (<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">USDT</a>) and Circle’s USDC (<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">USDC</a>) continue to dominate, a growing number of financial institutions and payments companies have entered the stablecoins race in recent months.<figure><img alt="United States, Stablecoin, Genius Act" src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2025-12/019b3814-fa26-7d24-aef4-424b4f659655.png" title=""><figcaption>Stablecoin market cap. Source: <a href="https://defillama.com/stablecoins" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">DefiLlama</a></figcaption></figure>In October, Western Union announced plans to launch its own <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/western-union-stablecoin-crypto-network-solana" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">US dollar-pegged stablecoin</a>, the US Dollar Payment Token, which will be built on the Solana blockchain and issued by Anchorage Digital Bank as part of a broader digital asset settlement network.Sony Bank was reported to be preparing a US dollar-pegged stablecoin for use across <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/sony-playstation-stablecoin-payments-2026-launch" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sony’s US ecosystem</a>, including PlayStation games, subscriptions and anime content. The stablecoin is expected to launch in 2026.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ry9MI57Pbjs?start=9"></iframe>On Thursday, <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/sofi-us-dollar-stablecoin-bank-fintechs" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">SoFi Technologies launched SoFiUSD</a>, a fully reserved US dollar stablecoin issued by its banking subsidiary, SoFi Bank. The company said the token will debut on Ethereum and is designed to support low-cost settlement for banks, fintechs and enterprise platforms.Galaxy Research associate Jianing Wu said she expects TradFi-partnered stablecoins will consolidate in 2026, as users and merchants are unlikely to adopt a long list of digital dollars and will instead favor one or two with the “broadest acceptance.”Magazine: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/quantum-attacking-bitcoin-would-be-a-waste-of-time-kevin-oleary/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Quantum attacking Bitcoin would be a waste of time: Kevin O’Leary</a>

Galaxy predicts stablecoins will overtake ACH transaction volume in 2026

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