Venom Foundation finds cash could be obsolete in 2–3 years as 137 countries build CBDCs; Asia and MENA lead a surge in stablecoins toward $2T by 2028.Venom Foundation finds cash could be obsolete in 2–3 years as 137 countries build CBDCs; Asia and MENA lead a surge in stablecoins toward $2T by 2028.

Traditional Cash Nears End as 137 Countries Race to Launch CBDCs, Venom Study Finds

venom

New research from the Venom Foundation is sounding the alarm: traditional cash could be a relic within two to three years as central bank digital currencies and stablecoins surge across Asia and the Middle East. The study, titled “The End of Traditional Money: How Asia and MENA Are Rewriting Global Finance,” argues that 137 countries, representing roughly 98 percent of world GDP, are now actively building CBDCs, and that a wave of major launches and private stablecoin growth will reshape how people and businesses move money by 2028.

The report points to striking examples of scale already underway. China’s e-CNY pilot, the study notes, had processed the equivalent of roughly $986 billion in transactions by mid-2024, a figure that underlines how fast a carefully managed CBDC can go from experiment to everyday use. India’s e-rupee has also shown dramatic momentum, with circulation expanding several hundred percent in a single year as the Reserve Bank of India scales retail and wholesale pilots. Those country-level numbers, the authors say, are proof that digital money is no longer a niche experiment but a mainstream policy tool.

If the Venom Foundation’s forecast is correct, private stablecoins will play a huge role in that transition. The study repeats a widely discussed projection that the stablecoin market could swell from the low hundreds of billions today to about $2 trillion by 2028, a jump that would force banks, payments firms and regulators to rethink both market structure and monetary plumbing. That projection has been echoed by major banks and consultancies, which point to new U.S. and international regulatory frameworks as the trigger that could unlock a flood of issuance.

From Remittances to Trade

One of the study’s most striking conclusions is geopolitical: regional projects and bilateral corridors in Asia and MENA are eroding the dollar’s monopoly in cross-border payments. Project mBridge, a multi-central bank platform connecting China, the UAE, Thailand, Hong Kong and, more recently, Saudi Arabia, reached minimum viable product in mid-2024 and, the report says, already demonstrates that wholesale CBDC rails can settle cross-border payments in seconds while eliminating large chunks of correspondent-banking fees. If expanded, such platforms could reroute trade and remittance corridors away from traditional dollar-centred payment chains.

The policy landscape is changing fast to meet that reality. The Venom Foundation highlights how regulators across Europe, the United States and key Asian financial centres moved in 2024–25 to create licensing regimes and guardrails for stablecoins and CBDC interoperability. The result, the authors argue, is a two-track transformation: public CBDCs issued by central banks and private stablecoins issued under regulated frameworks, sometimes cooperating, sometimes competing, but together making cash less necessary for everyday transactions.

That transformation carries both promise and disruption. Remittances, a $685 billion annual flow to developing countries that today cost an average of 6.4 percent to send, are a prime candidate for cheaper, faster digital corridors, the paper says, potentially saving billions for low-income families. At the same time, banks could see core deposit and payment revenues hollowed out if central banks offer retail digital accounts or if corporate treasuries shift to stablecoins for liquidity and settlement. The report warns that stablecoin issuers will face hefty compliance bills, running into millions annually, and that privacy, cybersecurity and legal frameworks will be the battlegrounds of the next phase.

For the Gulf, the calendar feels immediate: the Venom researchers single out the UAE’s Digital Dirham as one of the most likely near-term retail launches, and they say regional regulators’ clarity and infrastructure investments have made Asia and MENA natural leaders in the shift to digital cash. Whether that means a gentler evolution of existing institutions or a wholesale rewriting of the financial stack depends on policy choices, technology standards and how quickly people and businesses embrace tokenised money.

The study is emphatic about timing: “the next 24-36 months will be particularly critical,” it says, as multiple economies move from pilots to commercial deployments and as private token issuers scale under new rules. The authors close with a sober reminder: the opportunity to lower costs, expand financial inclusion and spur innovation is real, but only if privacy, security and robust governance are built into these new monetary rails from the start.

The Venom Foundation’s full analysis and data tables are available in its full report, which the authors say synthesizes central bank publications, BIS and IMF analysis, and industry forecasts through November 2025. Readers should treat projections as conditional, dependent on regulation, technology choices and geopolitical shifts, but if even a portion of the scenarios play out, the way we think about money may look very different by the end of the decade.

Market Opportunity
VENOM Logo
VENOM Price(VENOM)
$0,02729
$0,02729$0,02729
-0,03%
USD
VENOM (VENOM) Live Price Chart
Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact service@support.mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

CEO Sandeep Nailwal Shared Highlights About RWA on Polygon

CEO Sandeep Nailwal Shared Highlights About RWA on Polygon

The post CEO Sandeep Nailwal Shared Highlights About RWA on Polygon appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Polygon CEO Sandeep Nailwal highlighted Polygon’s lead in global bonds, Spiko US T-Bill, and Spiko Euro T-Bill. Polygon published an X post to share that its roadmap to GigaGas was still scaling. Sentiments around POL price were last seen to be bearish. Polygon CEO Sandeep Nailwal shared key pointers from the Dune and RWA.xyz report. These pertain to highlights about RWA on Polygon. Simultaneously, Polygon underlined its roadmap towards GigaGas. Sentiments around POL price were last seen fumbling under bearish emotions. Polygon CEO Sandeep Nailwal on Polygon RWA CEO Sandeep Nailwal highlighted three key points from the Dune and RWA.xyz report. The Chief Executive of Polygon maintained that Polygon PoS was hosting RWA TVL worth $1.13 billion across 269 assets plus 2,900 holders. Nailwal confirmed from the report that RWA was happening on Polygon. The Dune and https://t.co/W6WSFlHoQF report on RWA is out and it shows that RWA is happening on Polygon. Here are a few highlights: – Leading in Global Bonds: Polygon holds 62% share of tokenized global bonds (driven by Spiko’s euro MMF and Cashlink euro issues) – Spiko U.S.… — Sandeep | CEO, Polygon Foundation (※,※) (@sandeepnailwal) September 17, 2025 The X post published by Polygon CEO Sandeep Nailwal underlined that the ecosystem was leading in global bonds by holding a 62% share of tokenized global bonds. He further highlighted that Polygon was leading with Spiko US T-Bill at approximately 29% share of TVL along with Ethereum, adding that the ecosystem had more than 50% share in the number of holders. Finally, Sandeep highlighted from the report that there was a strong adoption for Spiko Euro T-Bill with 38% share of TVL. He added that 68% of returns were on Polygon across all the chains. Polygon Roadmap to GigaGas In a different update from Polygon, the community…
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/09/18 01:10
Q4 2024 Growth Beats Expectations With 0.9% Surge

Q4 2024 Growth Beats Expectations With 0.9% Surge

The post Q4 2024 Growth Beats Expectations With 0.9% Surge appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. New Zealand Retail Sales Soar: Q4 2024 Growth Beats Expectations
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2026/02/23 07:03
Vitalik Buterin Explains How Crypto Can Protect Users When Perfect Security Remains Impossible

Vitalik Buterin Explains How Crypto Can Protect Users When Perfect Security Remains Impossible

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined a new framework for crypto security, offering practical strategies rooted in redundancy, multi-angle verification
Share
Coinstats2026/02/23 06:08