Stablecoins are replacing traditional payment systems: The ACH system is under pressure

The era of slow bank transfers is a thing of the past. While the ACH system (Automated Clearing House) still remains the backbone of the US payment infrastructure, a new competitor is rising: tokenized digital currencies like USDT and USDC are revolutionizing the way money flows.

Where the ACH system reaches its limits

The traditional clearing process only operates on business days and often takes two days for a payment to be actually settled. Costs are not low, and efficiency is limited. In contrast, stablecoins rely on continuous availability: 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with nearly instant transactions and significantly reduced fees. The difference could not be greater.

The numbers tell a clear story

Galaxy Digital recently published analyses that are eye-opening. The current volume of stablecoin transactions already amounts to about half of the ACH volume. With this growth dynamic, the stablecoin transaction volume could overshadow the ACH system by 2026. The market capitalization of stablecoins is already close to $309 billion — enough to seriously challenge the system. Even on-chain, these digital currencies have surpassed established networks like Visa.

Why major players are paying attention

It is no coincidence that financial institutions have begun to adopt this technology. Visa is already experimenting with USDC for international settlements. Traditional banks are evaluating their own digital currency solutions. The reason is obvious: efficiency has become a competitive factor in modern finance.

The reality: transformation rather than revolution

No one should expect the banking system to disappear overnight. But the shift is unmistakable. Money is becoming faster, programmable, and cross-border. With increasingly clearer regulatory frameworks on the horizon, stablecoins like USDT and USDC could continue to gain importance. The key question is no longer whether, but how far this transformation will go and how quickly it will progress.