Stablecoins are more than just a trending topic in the payments industry. Over the past 18 months, they’ve evolved from experimental technology into a regulated, enterprise-ready option for merchants. The major global financial markets—the US, EU, and UK—have moved from uncertainty to clarity. This shift means merchants are no longer asking, “Will stablecoins be regulated?” but rather, “How quickly can we implement them for our business?”

With regulations in place, the path forward is clear—and the advantage will go to merchants who collaborate with partners capable of navigating these new rules and unlocking full benefits. Acting now means building faster, more flexible payment options into your business while the opportunity remains wide open.

From Flexa’s perspective, this is the moment the industry has been building towards. Flexa was founded on the belief that digital assets could be the fastest, most reliable, and most trusted form of payment if the right infrastructure and safeguards were in place. With rules now established in key markets, the potential benefits, faster settlement, lower cross-border friction, and lower payment costs are no longer held back by uncertainty. The rails have matured, critical safety measures are now in place, and merchants finally have a credible way to adopt stablecoins without taking on unnecessary compliance risks.

From uncertainty to a green light

For years, stablecoin adoption in mainstream commerce faced a bottleneck: no one knew precisely how regulators would treat these assets. Could an issuer lose approval overnight? Would a coin’s liquidity dry up? Would the compliance overhead be worth it?

That changed in 2024 and 2025:

• Europe implemented  MiCA’s stablecoin regulations in June 2024, requiring fully backed reserves, authorized issuers, and strong consumer protections.  The following month, the EBA instructed stakeholders to refrain from offering or admitting non-MiCA-compliant stablecoins, and in January 2025, ESMA went further, directing platforms to restrict access to non-compliant stablecoins, forcing the market to standardize around regulated tokens.

• The United Kingdom proposed its own framework in May 2025, with the FCA’s CP25/14 consultation proposing issuance and custody rules that align with central bank oversight for systemic players.

• The United States passed the GENIUS Act in July 2025, establishing the first federal law for payment stablecoins, setting out 1:1 reserve requirements, licensing for issuers, and requiring compliance by stablecoin issuers with the Bank Secrecy Act.

For merchants, the message is clear: the “wait and see” period is over. Compliant stablecoins now have predictable standards for backing, issuance, and redemption.

Why this matters for merchants 

This shift isn’t just beneficial for the crypto sector; it’s also good for the bottom line. Compliant stablecoins enable faster settlement, with transactions finalizing in seconds and running around the clock. That means improved cash flow and shorter reconciliation cycles, freeing up working capital and reducing operational delays. Stablecoins also make cross-border commerce easier by eliminating banking intermediaries and minimizing foreign exchange risk for goods and services priced in USD or EUR. For businesses selling internationally, this means fewer delays, lower currency conversion costs, and a more seamless experience for both the merchant and the customer. Additionally, on-chain transfers can be more cost-effective when moved at scale, which is particularly valuable for B2B transactions or high-volume environments where processing fees quickly add up.

With licensing requirements, reserve mandates, and ongoing supervision in place, the risks of liquidity gaps, sudden delistings, or issuer insolvency are significantly reduced, making the decision to accept stablecoins less about taking a chance and more about upgrading to a faster, more predictable payment rail.

Compliance without the headache

For merchants, this higher compliance standard is a significant advantage. By using Flexa, merchants automatically work with a network that only supports stablecoins complying with regional regulations such as MiCA in the EEA, the GENIUS Act in the US, and upcoming UK rules, while outsourcing complex tasks like licensing, reserve verification, AML/KYC obligations, and ongoing reporting.

In the US, new IRS rules for Form 1099-DA, starting with 2025 activity, will ensure more standardized tax data from providers, eliminating inconsistent reporting formats. In accounting, FASB standard (ASU 2023-08), issued in late 2023 but effective for most companies beginning in 2025, removes historical impairment quirks by moving crypto assets to fair value through earnings, resulting in less time spent interpreting policy and more time running the business.

The Industry is moving 

Major payment players aren’t waiting. Visa has expanded its settlement platform to support more USD- and EUR-backed stablecoins and multiple blockchains. Stripe has launched stablecoin-based financial accounts in over 100 countries and enabled direct acceptance at checkouts. PayPal continues to roll out PYUSD acceptance and utility features for merchants. These moves signal that the market is catching up to what Flexa has been delivering from day one: a purpose-built network for digital assets that combines instant settlement, built-in compliance, and seamless merchant integration.

This mainstream adoption matters because it allows merchants to incorporate stablecoins without disrupting their current workflows. The infrastructure, fraud checks, SLAs, and reconciliation processes are familiar; only the rail underneath is new.

The merchant playbook for 2025

If you operate in the EEA, insist on MiCA-authorized coins via authorized issuers and providers. In the UK, watch for the FCA’s final rules and collaborate with PSPs preparing for them. In the US, insist on working only with issuers that comply with the GENIUS Act requirements (and work only with processors that support compliant stablecoins) as agency rulemakings take effect. Across all regions, maintain AML and sanctions screening, but rely on providers’ blockchain analytics and controls to improve efficiency.

With stablecoins now regulated in the world’s largest markets, consumer adoption is expected to accelerate. Merchants that act now can position themselves ahead of the curve, meeting payment preferences before they become industry standard and avoiding the scramble to catch up once competitors have already moved.

The competitive upside is real: faster settlement, global reach without added cost, and a signal to customers that your business is innovating while staying compliant.

Flexa’s position is straightforward: stablecoins are no longer “new rules to learn,” they’re “new rails to use.” Flexa’s network was built around instant authorization, guaranteed settlement, and privacy by design. With the world’s largest markets now setting clear standards, merchants have a rare window to adopt a faster, more flexible payment rail without adding risk.

The opportunity is here. The compliance path is clear. Now it’s about choosing the right partner to get you there. Curious where you can use Flexa or want to explore how it works? Get in touch today.