Opinion: Louise Ivan, Ryder Co-Founder and CEO
Maximalists, please step aside. Cryptocurrency is no longer the domain of early adopters and philosophical “hodlers”. The demographics of cryptocurrency usage are changing rapidly, with stablecoins in particular leading the way.
Forget about newcomers piling up satellites. In Q3 2025, Tether’s USDt (USDT) and Circle’s USDC (USDC) together accounted for approximately 40% of the total cryptocurrency volume. Part of the reason for this huge number is that people in emerging regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America want better ways to move their money.
The reason they jump into cryptocurrencies is practical and simple. If cryptography wants to keep pace with them in the current climate, its products will need to evolve to meet these changing needs.
The need for practicality drives adoption
Not so long ago, getting interested in cryptocurrencies meant buying Bitcoin (BTC), reading a whitepaper or two, and researching, sometimes the hard way, about seed phrases, personal wallets, and the dangers of self-control.
Today, most people outside of cryptocurrency enthusiast circles don’t think about ideological freedom or permissionless money. They think about needs. The pursuit of practicality is everywhere.
In 2025, retail-sized remittances of less than $250 will increase, indicating an increase in small, everyday payments (exactly the kind needed for groceries, bills, or home tuition).
Stablecoins dominate this pattern, becoming the first crypto asset many people encounter, especially in places where banks are slow, expensive, or unreliable.
The Philippines ranks as one of the world’s largest remittance recipients. Citizens need to overcome banking hurdles and send money across borders cheaply and quickly. Stablecoins solve that problem.
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Centralized exchanges and peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms are now seeing a surge in traffic from users who value cryptocurrencies for their practicality rather than ideological reasons. This is not just an anecdote. According to Chainalysis’ 2025 Global Adoption Index, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Brazil, and the Philippines are leading the way in grassroots cryptocurrency activity, much of it through non-volatile assets such as stablecoins.
According to the World Economic Forum, the average stablecoin transfer in emerging markets ranges from $100 to $500. Cross-border remittances account for billions of dollars annually within the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
The adoption rate of cryptocurrencies, especially among Filipinos, increased to 22.5% from 17.8% last year, mainly driven by play-to-earn gaming and remittance needs. Similar trends can be seen in other fast-growing markets such as Nigeria and Vietnam. More than freedom, money, or other philosophical motivations, practicality and necessity are driving people to cryptocurrencies.
New users require a new kind of security
However, there are trade-offs lurking behind the scenes. New users are primarily concerned with utilities, especially sending and receiving funds, and often skip deeper cryptographic fundamentals such as private keys, seed phrases, and self-custody. They are much more likely to rely on wallets provided by exchanges and custodians. While these solutions may be simpler and more familiar, they violate the original spirit of cryptocurrencies: not keys or coins.
It’s not just about ease of use. It’s about risk and responsibility. The “if you lose your seed phrase, you lose your cryptocurrency” saga doesn’t start with someone who wires $60 for groceries. If self-custody means risking losing essential household funds due to a series of forgotten words, implementation will be delayed and trust will be eroded.
For companies and platforms, the lessons are clear. If most new users don’t have the desire or time to learn seed phrases and backup protocols, cryptographic security should be built into the product natively, rather than being added as an afterthought.
Innovators are already working on this case. Companies are experimenting with abstracting seed phrases with multiple layers of account recovery, trusted contacts, and even hardware integration to protect their assets without exposing users to the cryptographic complexities of cryptocurrencies.
Security has evolved from a test of technical knowledge and mental tenacity to a transparent background feature.
Abstracting complexity is key to the next wave of adoption
This new wave of cryptocurrency users isn’t waiting for the perfect UX. They are already using stablecoins for real-world utility, whether or not they realize the blockchain rails lie beneath them. Many Filipinos are already participating in P2P cash exchanges to convert digital assets back into fiat currency.
The convenience and speed of cryptocurrencies are integrated into the daily lives of millions of people, enabling them to send money, make purchases on Facebook Marketplace, pay family bills, and manage side hustles in the gaming economy.
Cryptography’s next big victory won’t be about defending ideological arguments. It’s about quietly powering global money movement and commerce, as smooth as sending a WhatsApp message, native to everyday apps.
From money transfer processors to mobile money providers, some of the world’s largest companies are integrating blockchain rails to create an experience where users don’t have to browse wallet addresses or blockchain explorers, but instead enjoy faster payments and lower fees.
Built-in security is a must
What does this mean for teams building cryptographic solutions? First, products need to make security seamless and non-burdensome for users. Custodial wallets, social recovery, multi-factor authentication, and even regulated and insured custody options are all part of the toolkit. If cryptocurrencies are to achieve mainstream adoption and financial inclusion, they must recognize users’ needs and risk tolerance. It must offer a best-in-class UX, clear safety measures, and effective recovery options.
Second, it means welcoming a new global crypto population. It’s not just cypherpunks and maximalists, it’s people who rely on practicality, trust, and practical authority. The cryptocurrency industry is poised for broader transformation. Blockchain is on rails, but onboarding is easy, security is built in, and mass adoption doesn’t require everyone to be their own bank.
USDT and USDC currently account for 40% of the world’s crypto trading volume, with more than 161 million people holding stablecoins, and the asset class is larger than the population of the world’s 10 largest cities combined.
The rapidly growing crypto economy isn’t here for philosophy. They want solvency, convenience, and freedom from legacy banking.
The future of cryptocurrencies depends on recognizing changes in adoption. We need to build technology that serves this new reality.
Opinion: Louise Ivan, Ryder Co-Founder and CEO.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be, and should not be taken as, legal or investment advice. The views, ideas, and opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.