Stablecoin growth will test 24/7 FX liquidity, TransFi CEO says

Local-currency stablecoin launches have increased demand for 24/7 foreign exchange liquidity as more than 70% of conversions into dollar stablecoins begin in another currency. Summary TransFi CEO Raj Kamal expects local-currency stablecoins to move more foreign exchange activity onchain. Round-the-clock settlement could produce thinner liquidity and higher conversion costs outside normal trading hours. Fragmentation across currencies, issuers, and blockchains may leave businesses relying on dollar stablecoins as intermediary assets. Banks will need redemption, FX, and network connections to turn token issuance into regular commercial use. Raj Kamal, founder and CEO of payments company TransFi, told crypto.news that issuing euro, sterling, yen, and other local-currency stablecoins would bring more foreign exchange activity directly into payment transactions. More than 70% of flows from fiat currencies into dollar stablecoins already originate outside the U.S. dollar, according to data cited by Kamal. Each flow requires a currency conversion somewhere in the process, even when the token used for payment is denominated in dollars. The Bank for International Settlements reported in its...