How Stripe And Stablecoins Are Rewiring Remote Work
Originally published in Forbes Digital Assets. Author’s archive copy.
Every month, Maria would board a ferry in Buenos Aires for a one-and-a-half-hour journey to Colonia, Uruguay. The trip wasn’t for leisure. It was the only way she could receive payment for her work as a freelance contractor for European companies. Under Argentina’s strict capital controls, this arduous monthly pilgrimage was her lifeline to the global digital economy. “The whole day would be lost just to get paid,” says Maria (name changed for privacy). “It was exhausting, but we had no choice. The official systems just didn’t work for freelancers like me.”
From Underground to Mainstream: The Rise of Stablecoins in Buenos Aires
Fast forward to early 2024, and Buenos Aires presents a drastically different picture. In the city’s trendy Palermo district, signs advertising acceptance of stablecoins – cryptocurrency tokens pegged to the US dollar – are as common as wine bars. This transformation reflects a broader global shift: stablecoins have evolved from a crypto enthusiast’s experiment to a vital financial tool for millions of workers worldwide.
“Freelancers have become one of the primary markets for stablecoins,” explains Martin Carrica, founder of stablecoin company Mountain Protocol. “They represent a simple way for people across the world to receive and hold dollars, particularly those facing capital controls or rapidly depreciating local currencies.”
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Stablecoins Match Half of Visa’s Volume
The numbers back up this grassroots adoption. A recent report co-authored by Visa and Castle Island Ventures reveals that stablecoin transaction volumes have reached $450 billion per month – approximately half of Visa’s monthly processing volume of just over 1 USD trillion. This remarkable scale has caught the attention of traditional financial institutions. The institutional embrace of stablecoins reached a new milestone this month with Stripe’s $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge, a startup specializing in stablecoin payment infrastructure. While the price tag raised eyebrows given Bridge’s estimated $10-12 million in revenue, the strategic implications are profound. The acquisition signals a recognition that the future of global payments may look radically different from its present state.
Remote.com Leads on Stablecoins: 69 Countries, One Payment Solution
Today’s announcement from Remote.com, a leading global HR platform, demonstrates how quickly this future is arriving. The company revealed that contractors in 69 countries can now receive payments directly in USDC stablecoins through Stripe Connect. This development represents a significant shift from stablecoins’ origins as a grassroots solution to their emergence as a mainstream payment rail.
“One of the biggest hurdles companies face when hiring international talent is providing fast, flexible, and reliable payments around the world,” says Job van der Voort, CEO and co-founder of Remote. “With the introduction of stablecoin payouts via Stripe, we’re adding a feature that has been highly requested by our customers.” Van der Voort expects the impact to be particularly significant in emerging markets. “We believe this will benefit contractors based in countries like Colombia, Nigeria, El Salvador, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico – where we’ve seen significant growth this year,” he explains. “The demand is especially strong in industries like Translation, Media and Entertainment, and Technology, where international contracting is becoming increasingly common.”
Beyond Private Sector: Government Interest Grows
The appeal of stablecoins for global disbursements extends beyond the private sector. U.S. government agencies have reportedly explored Bridge’s infrastructure for international payments, highlighting the technology’s potential to reshape traditional financial channels. For people like Maria, these developments represent more than just corporate strategy – they’re life-changing. “What used to take a full day and a ferry ride can now be done with a few clicks,” she reflects. “It’s not just about convenience; it’s about having control over our own economic lives.”
The Future Is Already Here
As the global stablecoin market cap approaches $200 billion, 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for this technology. The convergence of grassroots adoption, corporate investment, and institutional implementation suggests that stablecoins are no longer just an alternative to traditional finance – they’re becoming an integral part of it.
The journey from Maria’s ferry rides to Remote.com’s global payment network illustrates how quickly financial technology can evolve when it solves real problems for real people. As traditional financial institutions continue to embrace stablecoin infrastructure, the line between crypto innovation and mainstream finance grows increasingly blurry. For the millions of global freelancers and contractors who have struggled with traditional payment systems, this blur represents a clearer path to financial freedom.