Our report "A Framework For Crypto Neobanks" is now live!
Stablecoin payment infrastructure is inevitable but the crypto companies built for it may not be.
The category has fragmented into five distinct models that each occupy a different layer of the stack. The survivors will either own infrastructure, own distribution, or specialize in markets traditional banks fail to serve.
Rain and RedotPay are early proof of both paths. Rain holds a Visa principal membership and sells issuance infrastructure to other crypto apps. RedotPay focuses on emerging markets where dollar access is the actual product.
Across 190 tracked crypto card programs, Rain and RedotPay account for roughly 90% of observed onchain volume while everyone else is fighting over the remainder.
Then there's the settlement layer. Visa's stablecoin settlement pilot has hit a $7B annualized run rate across nine chains. Mastercard is moving in the same direction with expanded stablecoin settlement capabilities. The incumbents are extending downward into it before a parallel rail can form outside their networks.
The most likely path is not a clean victory for either side. Incumbents will adopt stablecoin rails. A select few crypto companies will still command the volume. The technology can win while most of the companies fall behind.