Visa Finds 46% of Asia Pacific Consumers May Use Stablecoins

Visa found that 46% of Asia Pacific consumers are likely to use stablecoins within the next five years, compared with 16% who have used them in the past 12 months. The result is a demand signal, not proof of broad adoption: only 6% of respondents demonstrated an accurate understanding of how stablecoins work.

CoinShares, in a separate survey, found that a majority of affluent investors hold digital assets in all seven markets covered. Their reported allocations cluster around 10% of the portfolio, comparable to private equity, commodities or real estate.

The studies were published on the same day, but they do not measure the same population or use the same questions. Visa focused on 14,250 consumers aged 18 to 65 across 14 Asia Pacific markets. CoinShares surveyed 2,230 affluent investors across the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.

Stablecoin Awareness Outruns Understanding

Visa's Consumer 360 study, conducted between June and July 2026, recorded 66% awareness of stablecoins across Asia Pacific. Awareness was highest in Hong Kong at 84%, India at 80% and Thailand at 77%.

Understanding was much lower. Only 6% demonstrated an accurate understanding of how stablecoins work, while 41% believed stablecoins always increase in value.

Among consumers who were aware of stablecoins but had never used them, 38% cited fraud or scam concerns as a barrier. A further 36% pointed to a lack of understanding.

That gap matters for any forecast based on stated intent. A consumer who says they are likely to use a stablecoin may still have no clear view of redemption, reserves, custody or the risks involved. Visa's release also did not explain the survey methodology or how respondents' understanding was tested. It did not say what the 16% who had used stablecoins in the past year used them for, so the data cannot distinguish payments use from crypto trading.

Affluent Investors Are Already Allocated

CoinShares found that current digital asset ownership ranged from 54% in Sweden to about 70% in the US, UK, Germany and Switzerland. The per-market figures were 70% in the US, 70% in the UK, 66% in France, 70% in Germany, 58% in Italy, 69% in Switzerland and 54% in Sweden.

The average allocation clustered around 10%, a weight the company compared with private equity, commodities or real estate. That figure is an average across markets, not a standalone allocation number for each country.

Only 6% of respondents identified primarily as short-term traders. Among current investors, 19% cited speculation as a primary motivation, against 41% for strategic motives. The report therefore points more to portfolio participation and strategic positioning than to a survey population dominated by momentum trading.

Among current digital asset investors, at least 85% in five of the seven markets planned to increase exposure in 2026. The figure reached 91% in the US, UK and Germany. In the US, the share of respondents describing themselves as extremely likely to increase exposure rose 20 percentage points year on year to 64%, according to CoinShares' release.

Regulation and Trust Shape the Next Step

Both surveys place trust and regulation close to the adoption question. Among aware but never-users, Visa found that government or central bank-linked entities were the most trusted potential providers at 27%, followed by banks or regulated financial institutions at 26%.

CoinShares found that 79% of surveyed affluent investors support increased regulation of the digital asset market. The report also says 69% would consider working with a wealth manager with crypto expertise, while 88% acknowledge lacking the knowledge to invest with full confidence.

The evidence is strongest for different claims. Visa measures consumer awareness, intent and perceived barriers. CoinShares measures existing ownership, portfolio weight and stated plans among affluent investors. Neither survey, on its own, establishes how much capital will move into stablecoins, how much of it will remain invested or whether reported intentions will become actual transactions.

CoinShares also cautions that its online panel results are subject to sampling and self-selection effects. The $84 trillion inheritance figure and the detailed definition of the affluent-investor sample were included in the CoinShares release, but the underlying report PDF was not reviewed for this article.

For traders, the useful signal is the gap between interest and evidence. Consumer interest is rising faster than demonstrated understanding, while affluent-investor surveys show existing allocation and stated plans to increase exposure. The next test is transaction data: stablecoin balances, payment activity, portfolio inflows and how much capital changes hands after these intentions are put into practice.

The survey data supports a positive adoption signal, but not a market-wide investment conclusion. The invalidation point for that signal would be a sustained failure of users to move from stated interest and existing allocation into observable stablecoin use or new capital.