The modern globalised economy has expanded business boundaries, leading companies of all sizes to engage in cross-border transactions. Sending and receiving payments across borders has become an indispensable aspect of conducting global business, with cross-border payments surging by $25 trillion from 2018 to 2022, reaching $150 trillion. This trend underscores the undeniable flow of capital across international boundaries.

However, traditional payment infrastructures like wire transfers and correspondent banking struggle to meet the demands of speed, cost-effectiveness, and transparency for these international transactions. To address these challenges and enhance the efficiency, speed, security, and cost-effectiveness of cross-border payments, businesses and individuals are turning to stablecoins.

This article examines:

• Obstacles in traditional payments

• Explores the pivotal role stablecoins can play in streamlining these operations.

The current challenges with cross-border payments 

Cross-border transactions reliant on traditional infrastructures come with a variety of struggles that can create a barrier between businesses and their global expansion:

• High Transaction Costs with Multiple Intermediaries

• Lengthy Settlement Times

• Currency Conversion and Exchange Rate Risk

• Lack of Transparency

• Limited Accessibility

1. High transaction costs with multiple intermediaries 

Traditional cross-border payments involve multiple intermediaries, such as correspondent banks, clearinghouses, and payment processors. Each intermediary along the payment chain charges fees for their services. These fees can accumulate, significantly increasing the overall cost of the transaction. For businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, these high costs can significantly impact their bottom line.

2. Lengthy settlement times

Traditional cross-border payments are frequently plagued by long delays, often taking several days to weeks to finalise. These delays occur because multiple intermediaries need to manually intervene, verify, and reconcile the transactions before the funds can reach the recipient's bank. These challenges are further compounded by differences in time zones, making it difficult to communicate effectively and resolve payment-related issues in a timely manner. Additionally, the lack of standardised processes across various financial systems and payment networks among banks and countries adds more time and complexity to the process. As a result, businesses may face negative consequences such as poor cash flow management and reduced operational efficiency.

3. Currency conversion and exchange rate risk

Exchange rate fluctuations pose a significant challenge in cross-border transactions. Currency conversions often involve charges, and these costs can vary significantly depending on the transaction amount, exchange rate margins, and service provider. High conversion costs can reduce the overall value of the transaction and increase expenses for the parties involved.

4. Lack of transparency

Traditional payment systems often lack real-time transparency, making it difficult for businesses to track the progress of their transactions. This lack of visibility can cause uncertainty and complicate accounting and record-keeping processes. 

5. Limited accessibility

Some regions, particularly emerging markets, may have complex regulations and inadequate financial infrastructure, including limited banking services or a lack of connectivity to global payment networks. This situation can result in restricted access to cross-border payment capabilities, making it difficult for individuals and businesses in those areas to engage in international transactions. Consequently, it restricts economic participation and hinders global trade opportunities for businesses in these areas. 

How stablecoins can enhance cross-border payments 

Stablecoins are digital currencies designed to maintain a stable value by pegging them to underlying assets like fiat currencies. 

They can potentially help cross-border payments by:

• Cost-Effective Transactions

• Faster, Real-Time Payments

• Mitigating Currency Volatility

• Transparent and Traceable Transactions

• Overcoming Time Zone and Operational Barriers

• Enhancing Accessibility and Inclusion

1. Cost-effective transactions

By leveraging blockchain networks, stablecoins reduce the need for many intermediaries involved in traditional cross-border transactions. This reduction in intermediaries significantly lowers operational and fee-related transaction costs, making cross-border payments more affordable for businesses. 

2. Faster, real-time payments

Transactions conducted with stablecoins are typically processed on networks that operate 24/7, allowing for immediate verification, validation, and settlement. This enables near-instantaneous transfer of funds, eliminating the delays associated with traditional settlement systems that require intermediaries and manual processing.

3. Mitigating currency volatility

Stablecoins are pegged to stable assets like the US dollar, reducing the risks associated with exchange rate fluctuations. Businesses can transact directly with stablecoins, ensuring that the value sent is the value received, providing greater financial stability.

4. Transparent and traceable transactions

Stablecoin transactions on the blockchain network can be tracked in real-time. This transparency provides businesses with peace of mind as they can monitor and verify the progress of their payments. By fostering trust in the process, this transparency helps build confidence in cross-border transactions.

5. Overcoming time zone and operational barriers

Stablecoins allow businesses to conduct transactions at any time without being restricted by traditional banking hours or time zone differences. This flexibility enhances operational efficiency and ensures that payments can be made when needed, regardless of geographical boundaries.

6. Enhancing accessibility and inclusion

Stablecoins require only internet access and a digital wallet, eliminating traditional barriers such as the need for a bank account. This promotes financial inclusion and opens up economic opportunities for underserved and underbanked populations, enabling them to participate in global trade.

Start funding your payments with stablecoins today

As the global economy continues to expand, there is an increasing demand for efficient solutions for cross-border payments. In this dynamic landscape, stablecoins emerge as a promising alternative to traditional payment methods, effectively addressing critical challenges such as limited financial access, costly transactions, lengthy settlement times, and currency volatility.

If you value speed, efficiency, and security in your payments, stablecoins are the perfect choice for funding your cross-border transactions. At Reap, we fully recognise the transformative potential of stablecoins and have integrated them into our solutions, empowering businesses to optimise their payments.

With our bank transfer payment solution, Reap Pay, businesses like yours can pay us in stablecoins such as USDT and USDC, which then serve as a source of funds for fiat business payments worldwide. This means that your recipients can receive the fiat currencies of their choice, while you gain the flexibility of funding your payments in either fiat currencies or stablecoins, all without the complexities typically associated with traditional cross-border payments. 

To discover more about how Reap can assist your business, schedule a free demo call with our team.