Nearly half of consumers in the Asia-Pacific region say they intend to use stablecoins, according to a new study commissioned by Visa. The survey found that 46% of respondents plan to use the digital currencies, and just under 50% are open to doing so within the next five years. But the same research shows a glaring gap: most people still don't understand what stablecoins are or how they work.
The findings land as Visa pushes deeper into the APAC market, positioning stablecoins as a mainstream payment tool rather than a niche crypto asset. The company commissioned the study to gauge consumer appetite in a region where digital payments already dominate daily life — from QR codes in China to e-wallets in Southeast Asia.
What the survey actually measured
The study polled consumers across APAC about their willingness to adopt stablecoins, which are cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets like the US dollar. The 46% figure represents those who said they plan to use them. The roughly 50% figure reflects a broader openness to trying stablecoins over a five-year horizon.
Those two numbers don't mean the same thing. Planning to use something is a stronger signal than being open to it. But together, they suggest that stablecoins have moved past the curiosity stage for a sizable chunk of the region's consumers.
What the survey doesn't show is how many of those respondents have actually used a stablecoin, or whether they could name one. Visa's own findings note that awareness is low — a detail that complicates any reading of the adoption numbers.
The awareness problem
You can't use what you don't understand. That's the tension running through the study. Nearly half of those surveyed expressed openness to stablecoins, yet the same group largely lacks basic knowledge about how the tokens function — what backs them, how they're transferred, or why they're different from bitcoin.
That gap matters for Visa and its partners. Payment networks depend on users who know what they're doing. If a consumer thinks a stablecoin is just another word for crypto, they may be swayed by volatility fears that don't apply. If they think it's a bank deposit, they may be surprised by the lack of insurance.
The survey didn't break down awareness by country or age group, so it's hard to say whether the knowledge gap is concentrated among older consumers, rural populations, or some other segment. Visa hasn't released that level of detail.
Why Visa is looking at APAC
APAC is a logical target for stablecoin payments. The region already leads the world in digital wallet adoption, and cross-border remittances — a natural use case for stablecoins — are a major economic lifeline for millions of workers. A stablecoin that settles in seconds and costs a fraction of traditional wire fees could fit neatly into existing habits.
Visa hasn't announced a specific product tied to the study. The company's interest appears to be strategic: understand where consumers are, then build infrastructure that meets them there. That could mean partnerships with crypto exchanges, wallet providers, or merchants that already accept digital assets.
The study also gives Visa something to show regulators and banking partners in the region, many of whom remain skeptical of crypto. A 46% adoption intent figure is a useful data point when arguing that demand exists.
What happens next
The survey leaves several questions unanswered. Visa hasn't said whether it will publish the full methodology, break down results by market, or follow up with a second study. It also hasn't detailed how — or whether — it plans to act on the findings in specific APAC countries.
For now, the numbers tell a simple story: interest in stablecoins is high, understanding is low, and the companies that can close that gap stand to gain. Visa is betting it can be one of them. The next signal will be whether the company moves from surveying consumers to signing the merchants and wallets that actually put stablecoins in their hands.
