Stablecoin
|3 min ReadStablecoin wave at $300B looks like rocket fuel for crypto
Maya Chen
Senior Analyst
Published
Jan 16, 2026
Record supply signals fresh onchain dollars
The stablecoin market just hit a record $300 billion in total supply. That is up 46.8% year to date. Analysts say it is not sidelined cash. It is capital in motion. The milestone arrives at the start of October, historically the second-best month for Bitcoin, and it is feeding hopes for an “Uptober” move. Andrei Grachev, founding partner at synthetic dollar protocol Falcon Finance, says transfer volumes are in the trillions each month and velocity shows constant activity. “They are being used — not just held. This is capital at work, not capital on hold.” Stablecoins settle trades, fund positions, and give users dollar access where banks fall short. That is real utility, real flow.
From remittances to rails, stablecoins go mainstream
Beyond investing, stablecoins move remittances, power merchant payments, and serve as savings in places where local currency is shaky. Ricardo Santos, CTO at payments firm Mansa, calls the $300 billion threshold a sign of integration with global finance. The expansion is often read as fresh dollar liquidity that can rotate quickly into Bitcoin, Ethereum, or altcoins. In his words, it looks like rocket fuel for the next cycle. Adoption is rising in Nigeria, Turkey, and Argentina, where dollar-pegged tokens are “de facto dollars” for everyday use. Big networks like Visa are wiring stablecoins into payment flows. That puts crypto rails under mainstream transactions. Beautiful fit. Big implications.
Source: DefiLlama.com
Minting surges as traders eye rotation
Flows are visible on-chain. Over the past month, Circle minted 750 million on a single Thursday, per Lookonchain’s X post. Technical analyst Kyle Doops expects the record stablecoin float to rotate into crypto majors and momentum names. “Capital doesn’t stay idle for long,” he said in an X according.
Source: Lookonchain
The setup is simple. A bigger stablecoin base means more immediate buying power. Bitcoin sentiment warm. Ethereum liquid. Altcoins waiting. If the stablecoin tide keeps rising, the next leg higher can come fast. That is how bull markets light up. Liquidity first, price second, headlines last. Everybody knows it.
Disclaimer: This document is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed in this document are not, and should not be taken as, investment advice or recommendations. Recipients should do their own due diligence, taking into account their specific financial circumstances, investment objectives and risk tolerance, which are not considered here, before investing. This document is not an offer, or the solicitation of an offer, to buy or sell any of the assets mentioned.