The next adoption wave: how card programs are turning stablecoins into a real utility

42% of stablecoin holders want to use their funds for everyday purchases. Only 28% can today, according to the Stablecoin Utility Report 2026 by BVNK. 

For companies holding stablecoin balances on behalf of users, that gap is a product problem.

Furthermore, 77% of respondents say they would open a stablecoin wallet if their bank offered one. The stablecoin market has reached $300 billion in volume. Yet volume alone does not drive adoption. Real utility does.

Stablecoin-linked card programs fill that gap. Beyond closing the spending problem, they can drive meaningful competitive advantages, new revenue streams and faster expansion into new markets.

What problem do stablecoin-linked cards solve

Consider this scenario: a user holds $1,000 in stablecoins on your platform, but needs to withdraw to a bank account every time they want to pay for groceries, transportation or subscriptions. 

That user is always one step away from moving their funds elsewhere.

With a card, that step disappears. That same user keeps the balance on your platform and spends directly from it, turning an occasional user into an active, daily customer.

Companies like Phantom, Zepz and Chipper have shown that card programs drive measurable increases in user engagement and retention. Cards transform your platform from a storage solution into a core part of your users' daily financial lives.

In practice, this means improving TVL (total value locked), generating revenue from each transaction and retaining users on the platform.

How do stablecoin-linked cards work

From the cardholder's perspective, using a stablecoin-linked card is identical to any other card. The change happens behind the scenes, through infrastructure connecting digital wallets, card issuers, card networks and liquidity sources.

The program runs in partnership with an issuer or platform connected to the card network, which handles compliance and certifications. The stablecoin wallet, whether custodial or self-custody, becomes the funding source.

At the moment of payment, the system checks the wallet balance via API or smart contract, reserves the required amount and converts it to fiat through exchanges, market makers or liquidity platforms. For the merchant, the transaction happens normally, with no exposure to blockchain complexity.

Settlement can take two forms: prior conversion of stablecoins into fiat, or direct settlement in assets such as USDC. This structure can reduce friction, accelerate settlement and improve capital efficiency for issuers.

With the backend in place, the card integrates into the app with instant issuance, real-time balances and payments funded directly from the user's wallet.

Start building with Unblock

Unblock provides the stablecoin payment infrastructure that makes card programs practical to build. Through a single API, companies can connect stablecoin wallets to card rails, manage fiat conversion and settlement, and launch card products across markets in Latin America, the United States and Europe.