Stablecoin Remittances Cost $2 on a $200 Transfer in Q3 Comparison

Stablecoin-funded remittances cost a median $2 to send $200 in the third-quarter comparison, about 84% below the $12.72 benchmark for conventional transfers, while local payout completion differed widely across Latin America.

The stablecoin price reflects third-quarter 2026 rates. The conventional remittance figure is from the third quarter of 2025. The $2 median equals 1% of the transfer, compared with 6.36% for the traditional remittance benchmark.

Costs varied by region. Stablecoin-funded transfers to Sub-Saharan Africa cost 2.9%, compared with 8.46% for traditional transfers. In Latin America, the respective costs were 1.25% and 5.64%.

For a $10,000 business payment to the eurozone, the least expensive stablecoin provider charged $26. Across all corridors, the median provider charged $52. A traditional international wire for the same amount cost between $135 and $150, including transfer fees and an assumed 1% foreign-exchange margin. The figures cover different price points: the $26 is the lowest provider charge, while $52 is the median.

Payouts through some local payment networks settled within minutes. The median was two minutes on Brazil’s PIX network, three minutes on Mexico’s SPEI and two minutes on Colombia’s PSE. Traditional SWIFT transfers typically took until the next business day, with the slowest 10% taking three business days.

Completion rates showed a separate measure of performance. SPEI completed 98.6% of payouts and PIX completed 97.8%. PSE’s rate was 79%, while Costa Rica’s SINPE recorded 73%.

The cost and settlement figures come as cross-border stablecoin activity grows. Transfers reached $220.3 billion in the 12 months through June 2026, up 77.5% from the preceding 12-month period, as detailed in cross-border stablecoin flow data.