Payment processing giant Visa has released a comprehensive new research report indicating that the integration of traditional, bank-level consumer protections could significantly alter American sentiment regarding stablecoins, potentially driving a major surge in the use of dollar-pegged digital assets for international money transfers.
The extensive survey, which gathered insights from more than 2,000 consumers across the United States, explores the shifting landscape of international remittances. It reveals a clear market demand among American consumers for faster, more cost-effective methods to send financial support to family members and friends living overseas. At the same time, the findings underscore that consumers continue to expect high levels of security and risk mitigation when handling their funds, regardless of the underlying financial technology being utilized.
According to the data compiled in the Visa study, the general adoption intent for stablecoins jumps dramatically from 36% to 56% when these dollar-pegged crypto assets are packaged with robust safeguards. Specifically, consumers responded favorably to the inclusion of comprehensive fraud protection mechanisms and deposit insurance structures, which closely mirror the safety nets traditionally offered by conventional brick-and-mortar banks and regulated financial institutions.
The research further points out that consumer trust in the digital asset space is heavily influenced by the reputation of the service provider rather than the novelty of the technology itself. Nearly two-thirds of the survey respondents indicated that their willingness to trust a financial service depends more on who is offering it than how the network operates under the hood. Consequently, when stablecoin services are presented and endorsed directly through an existing, trusted financial institution, overall user willingness to adopt them climbs from 36% to 45%.
When participants were asked to evaluate which entities command the highest levels of trust for digital currency and payment services, traditional banks emerged at the top of the list, capturing the confidence of 61% of respondents. Global payment networks followed closely behind, securing the trust of 60% of those surveyed, reinforcing the notion that consumers heavily favor established institutional heavyweights when navigating unfamiliar technological territory.
Despite the clear appetite for secure, efficient cross-border financial tools and the potential for a substantial rise in domestic stablecoin adoption, the Visa report highlights a pervasive lack of public awareness surrounding the asset class. More than half of all American consumers surveyed have never even heard of dollar-pegged crypto assets. Furthermore, many of those unfamiliar with the technology harbor the misconception that stablecoins experience the same high market volatility and dramatic price swings traditionally associated with speculative digital assets like Bitcoin.
Compounding these educational hurdles are growing concerns surrounding digital safety and financial fraud. The study reveals that 36% of respondents have personally encountered or fallen victim to cross-border payment scams, highlighting the treacherous nature of sending funds internationally through unregulated or insecure channels.
The research also sheds light on the modern threat landscape, noting that 44% of participants worry about sophisticated artificial intelligence deepfakes being used to impersonate family members in distress. Additionally, 24% of respondents reported having already received AI-generated scam messages designed to look and sound completely authentic, adding another layer of anxiety for consumers who regularly transmit money across international borders.
For many households, these international transfers represent an essential economic lifeline rather than discretionary spending. The study notes that approximately one in five senders actively reduce their own personal daily spending to ensure they have enough funds to support their family members abroad, underscoring the critical importance of secure, low-cost remittance corridors.
Commenting on the findings and the human element driving the market, Vira Platonova, Global Head of Visa Direct, emphasized the paramount importance of consumer confidence in shaping the future of global payments.
Remittances are a lifeline, funding education, essentials, and investment back home, Platonova stated. Our research shows what matters most to those who rely on that lifeline: trust. The future of the industry will be won by the providers that work hardest to earn that trust.
While the prospect of bank-level safeguards presents a compelling pathway toward mainstream cryptocurrency integration, the study includes an important caveat for industry observers and consumers alike. Stablecoins are not currently covered by traditional government-backed deposit insurance programs, such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, meaning that the robust protection scenarios evaluated within the survey remain strictly hypothetical under the current regulatory framework.
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