The article argues that the strongest businesses position themselves where value moves—taking a cut as transactions flow through their networks. Crypto’s programmable rails and stablecoins let startups embed themselves in global money flows from day one, tapping network effects and undercutting legacy finance margins.

Stablecoins have evolved from trading tools and savings vehicles into core payments infrastructure. Regulatory clarity boosted issuance, transaction velocity has doubled, and consumer-to-business use is surging. Non-USD variants and intra-country transfers now outpace purely cross-border flows.

The article traces tech’s rise from cloud in 2016 to today, showing software firms now rival entire economies in market cap. It then draws parallels to 19th-century railroads, explores AI’s potential to reshape corporate hierarchies, notes stablecoins shifting toward payments, and examines plunging trust in mass media among younger generations.

The article shows how stablecoins and public blockchains cut the unit cost of payments and compliance, driving more global adoption instead of displacing existing systems. It argues that shared ledgers collapse reconciliation and regulatory burdens, unlocking new markets and users much like cheaper steam engines boosted coal demand.

This article discusses how stablecoins are becoming mainstream for online and international payments, drawing parallels to the impact of WhatsApp on messaging costs. It explores the potential for stablecoins to transform financial transactions and reinforce the dollar's dominance in the global economy.

Vitalik Buterin highlights significant vulnerabilities in decentralized stablecoins, including their reliance on the U.S. dollar, the risks associated with oracle data, and the challenges of staking incentives. He emphasizes that these design flaws could undermine the stability of these assets over time, suggesting that future stablecoins may need to consider broader price indexes instead of being dollar-dependent.

A16z outlines 17 key developments expected in the crypto landscape by 2026, focusing on innovations in stablecoins, tokenization of real-world assets, and the transformation of financial systems through blockchain technology. The article emphasizes the role of stablecoins in modernizing payment infrastructures and the potential for personalized wealth management accessible to a broader audience.

The article critiques the prevailing notion that the speculative nature of the crypto market is beneficial for building financial infrastructure. It distinguishes between valuable innovations like Bitcoin and stablecoins and the destructive tendencies of speculative investments. The author argues that most of the crypto landscape is parasitic and undermines genuine advancements in financial technology.

The x402 payment protocol saw a 10,780% jump in weekly transactions in October 2025 by letting AI agents pay in USDC stablecoins. It replaces API keys, subscriptions, manual setups and credit cards with a pay-per-request model, zero manual steps and near-zero fees. Major backers include Coinbase, Cloudflare, Google Cloud, PayPal Ventures and General Catalyst.