Novogratz Predicts AI-Driven Boom in Stablecoin Transactions Within Five Years

TLDRs;

• Novogratz predicts AI agents will drive stablecoin usage for payments within one to five years.
• Stablecoin market has surged from $4B in 2020 to nearly $200B by 2025.
• Visa and Mastercard now integrate stablecoin settlement, marking mainstream financial adoption.
• AI-driven payments could reshape finance, with autonomous agents handling transactions via stablecoins.

Michael Novogratz, founder and CEO of Galaxy Digital, believes artificial intelligence could soon transform how stablecoins are used in everyday life.

Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Asia Leaders Conference in Hong Kong on Tuesday, the crypto executive said AI-driven tools and digital agents may eventually become the largest users of stablecoins, handling tasks like online purchases or grocery payments.

Novogratz explained that as AI agents become more autonomous, they will require efficient ways to transact. Stablecoins could provide the speed, low cost, and global interoperability these systems need. While he did not commit to a fixed timeline, Novogratz suggested the shift may take place in as little as one to five years.

Stablecoin Adoption Reaches Record Growth

His prediction comes at a time when stablecoins are already experiencing explosive adoption worldwide. The market for these tokens has ballooned from just $4 billion in circulation in 2020 to nearly $200 billion by early 2025.

Transaction volumes have surged even more dramatically, with global stablecoin transactions hitting $3 trillion in August 2025, a 92% year-over-year increase.

Tether (USDT) and Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) dominate the space, collectively processing trillions in monthly payments. USDC alone cleared $1 trillion in transactions in November 2024, rivaling the throughput of some of the world’s largest traditional payment networks. These figures highlight how stablecoins have moved far beyond their original role in crypto trading into mainstream financial infrastructure.

Traditional Finance Embraces Stablecoins

Another driver of growth is the embrace of stablecoins by established financial players. Mastercard and Visa, once skeptical of crypto, now integrate stablecoin settlement solutions into their systems. This adoption signals that stablecoins are increasingly viewed as critical infrastructure for modern digital payments.

Beyond payments, banks and financial institutions are recognizing stablecoins’ ability to settle transactions instantly and at lower costs than legacy systems.

In Europe, regulatory clarity through the EU’s MiCA framework has spurred adoption of euro-pegged stablecoins like EURC, which reported nearly 90% month-over-month growth. Meanwhile, the U.S. has introduced multiple bills in Congress to create a clear legal framework for payment stablecoins, further legitimizing their role in global finance.

A Converging Future

If Novogratz’s vision plays out, AI agents could amplify this trend by becoming consistent users of stablecoins for microtransactions, bill payments, and cross-border commerce. For example, an AI shopping assistant could autonomously order groceries, compare prices, and settle payments instantly with stablecoins, bypassing traditional banking rails.

Such a scenario highlights the potential for AI and blockchain to converge, creating a digital economy where machines transact seamlessly on behalf of humans. While challenges remain around regulation, scalability, and consumer trust, the groundwork is already being laid by institutional adoption and regulatory support.

Novogratz’s forecast may prove ambitious, but with AI integration accelerating and stablecoin networks already rivaling global payment giants, his prediction may not be far-fetched. If realized, the coming years could mark a decisive shift in both how people and intelligent systems interact with money.

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