Key Points Ethena USDe and Dai are both “crypto-native” stablecoins that don’t hold U.S. dollars. Ethena tries to balance long and short crypto trades to stay pegged to the U.S. dollar. Dai pegs itself to the U.S. dollar and uses smart contracts to hold crypto assets as collateral. 10 stocks we like better than Ethena USDe › Most cryptocurrencies aren't safe investments for conservative investors. But over the past decade, stablecoins -- which are cryptocurrencies tethered to the U.S. dollar and ...

Group 1: Stablecoin Overview - Stablecoins are digital currencies anchored to a reference value, primarily traditional financial assets, with Tether (USDT) and USDC being the largest, valued at $156.7 billion and $61.8 billion respectively, together accounting for over 85% of the total market[30] - The total market capitalization of stablecoins reached approximately $232 billion by March 2025, a nearly 45-fold increase from $5.2 billion at the end of 2019[31] - Stablecoin transaction volume approached $35.5 trillion in the past 12 months, with $7.4 trillion in payments settled, indicating significant growth compared to traditional payment platforms like PayPal and Mastercard[36] Group 2: Regulatory Developments - The U.S. is enhancing its stablecoin regulatory framework through the STABLE Act and GENIUS Act, requiring a 1:1 reserve ratio with assets like U.S. dollars or short-term U.S. Treasury securities[54] - U.S. stablecoins, particularly USDT and USDC, hold over $170 billion in U.S. Treasury securities, ranking them as the 17th largest holder, surpassing countries like Germany and South Korea[48] - Hong Kong's Stablecoin Ordinance, effective August 1, 2025, allows for a more inclusive regulatory environment, permitting reserves in multiple currencies and maintaining a 1:1 reserve requirement[63] Group 3: Market Implications - Stablecoins are expected to play a crucial role in reshaping the international financial system, particularly in cross-border payments, due to their efficiency and low costs[70] - The integration of stablecoins with Real World Assets (RWA) is anticipated to create a sustainable growth environment, leveraging blockchain technology to enhance trust and efficiency in asset transactions[74] - The demand for decentralized and efficient payment solutions is increasing as countries seek to reduce reliance on traditional dollar-based systems amid geopolitical tensions[70]