Stablecoin payments climb 45% to $482B as Visa, Mastercard and Stripe bridge crypto and cash

Allium data shows stablecoin supply barely moved in 2026 while payment activity surged, with card networks building the rails Stablecoins spent 2026 getting busier, not bigger. Payment volume hit $482 billion from January through September, up 45% year over year, according to Allium’s latest report. Total supply barely moved. It rose just 0.4% to $305 billion as of September 30, 2026. Allium’s report, titled “State of Stablecoins and Payments, Q3 2026,” maps where that activity went. September set a monthly record at $72 billion in stablecoin payments.

Source: Crypto Briefing