Insights from the Miami Fintech Club & MoneyGram Executive Roundtable (Nov 13, 2025)
For years, stablecoins lived in the “crypto maybe” category: an interesting idea, a source of speculation, and a frequent topic at fintech conferences. But today, something more meaningful is happening. Stablecoins are quietly becoming part of the real infrastructure that moves money across borders.
This shift was immediately visible at the executive breakfast and roundtable titled “Stablecoins to ‘Go-Live’: Cross-Border Payments That Actually Ship,” co-hosted by Miami Fintech Club and MoneyGram on November 13, 2025, at the MoneyGram offices in Miami.
Moderated by Andy Werner, the session brought together fintech founders, payments operators, enterprise leaders, neobank builders, and crypto-curious professionals. The message that emerged was clear:
Stablecoins have left the hype cycle. They are already powering real B2B and retail payment flows at global scale.
Stablecoins as Infrastructure, Not Ideology
One of the most important mindset shifts in the room was the recognition that stablecoins are no longer discussed as a philosophical experiment. Operators are focused on something more practical: speed, cost, settlement finality, transparency, and reduced counterparty risk.
These are areas where stablecoins consistently deliver.
As Andy Werner noted, there are roughly 300 billion dollars in stablecoins sitting on public blockchains, yet they process tens of trillions in annual transaction volume. That gap reveals an important reality: stablecoins are not primarily for holding; they are for moving money.
Two adoption categories stood out:
1. Retail-style transfers such as remittances
Migrants sending money to Latin America, Africa, and Asia increasingly rely on stablecoin rails behind the scenes. They experience faster settlement, lower fees, and clear confirmation that funds have arrived. Most never knew stablecoins were involved. They simply see a better user experience.
2. Corporate and B2B flows such as trade finance and supplier payments
Businesses paying suppliers internationally are using stablecoins for faster and more predictable settlement. They benefit from minimized pre-funding, clearer reconciliation, and reduced reliance on the slow and costly SWIFT network.
Stablecoins are not replacing banks. They are modernizing the rails that banks and fintechs rely on.
The Stablecoin Sandwich: A Clear Model for Modern Cross-Border Payments
One of the strongest conceptual frameworks discussed was the idea of the “stablecoin sandwich.”
On each end of the transaction, the user interacts with fiat currency. In the middle, value moves as stablecoin on a blockchain.
The flow looks like this:
1. On-ramp from fiat to stablecoin
Users or businesses fund through bank transfers, cards, ACH, Apple Pay, Google Pay or other methods. An on-ramp partner converts the fiat into stablecoin.
2. On-chain movement
Transactions settle in seconds, cost pennies, and offer immediate traceability.
3. Off-ramp from stablecoin back to fiat
Local banks, mobile wallets, agents, or networks such as MoneyGram convert the stablecoin to local currency at the destination.
From the end user’s perspective, they simply see that money moves faster, cheaper, and more reliably.
This stands in stark contrast to traditional cross-border payments. SWIFT transfers rely on multiple correspondent banks, unclear timing, manual interventions, time zone delays, and little visibility until the funds arrive.
Stablecoins simplify what has historically been slow and unpredictable.
What Is Already Working in the Real World
Participants shared several production-level use cases that are already live today.
1. Trade finance and supplier payments
Companies are using stablecoins to pay suppliers in different countries without pre-funding accounts or waiting days for settlement. Transparency, speed, and finality reduce operational risk and improve working capital.
2. Cross-border payroll for contractors
In countries with high inflation or volatile currencies, contractors increasingly ask to be paid in stablecoins. They can hold value in dollars on-chain or off-ramp at their convenience through banks, wallets, or cards.
3. Remittances with better user experience
Payment companies are integrating stablecoins underneath familiar interfaces. Users pay in fiat, but the rails are digital, faster, and cheaper.
4. Embedded wallets and programmable payouts
Platforms embed wallets to facilitate marketplace payouts, creator earnings, gig worker payments, and global disbursements. Stablecoins allow global reach without local bank integrations for every market.
The Last Mile Remains the Most Complex Piece
While the blockchain rails themselves are fast and efficient, the group emphasized a critical truth. The blockchain part is easy. The last mile is the challenge.
The last mile includes cash pickups, local banks, telecom wallets, national regulations, KYC rules, travel rule requirements, and local FX structures. These are highly country-dependent and require deep relationships.
This is where established networks such as MoneyGram have significant advantages. They already connect to the local infrastructures where people actually receive and use their money.
Risk and Regulation: A New Phase for Stablecoins
The roundtable included a thoughtful discussion on risk and regulatory evolution.
Issuers are not banks
Stablecoin issuers hold large portfolios of cash and Treasuries. Attestations matter, transparency matters, and operational risk remains. There is no FDIC insurance, and mistakes are visible instantly on-chain.
U.S. policy is evolving
The Genius Act has introduced clearer guidelines on stablecoin issuance and reserves. The upcoming Clarity Act is expected to further address classification and consumer protections. These developments point to a maturing regulatory framework.
CBDCs versus private stablecoins
A participant raised a key question. If the U.S. digitizes the dollar, would stablecoins still matter? The consensus was that they would. CBDCs face UX, privacy, and political challenges. Stablecoins expand global access to the U.S. dollar and move faster than government innovation cycles. Both will likely coexist, serving different needs.
Practical Questions Every Operator Should Ask
Whether you lead a fintech company, run operations for a global business, or manage treasury strategy, now is the time to evaluate where stablecoins add value. Key questions include:
Where are our cross-border payments slow, expensive, or unpredictable?
How much capital is tied up in pre-funding requirements?
Do we pay contractors or suppliers in markets with high inflation?
Which stablecoin on-ramp or off-ramp partners could we integrate today?
What capabilities does our treasury team need to begin experimenting?
Stablecoins do not require a company to be “crypto-focused.” They require a company to adopt better rails.
Miami Is Becoming a Center of Gravity for Cross-Border Innovation
The roundtable highlighted the accelerating momentum of the Miami fintech ecosystem. Miami sits at the intersection of U.S. finance and LATAM cross-border payments, making it a perfect live environment for testing new rails, new corridors, and new infrastructure models.
In a room of just 20 participants, the insights shared were practical, candid, and grounded in real execution rather than theory. These are the conversations that shape the next decade of financial innovation.
Conclusion: Stablecoins Are Already Part of the Financial Plumbing
The clearest takeaway from the Miami Fintech Club and MoneyGram roundtable is simple. Stablecoins are not the future of cross-border payments; they are the present.
They are already moving trade payments, powering remittances, paying contractors, improving liquidity, reducing settlement times, and increasing transparency.
Most users will never know that stablecoins enabled their transaction. They will only notice that money moves better.
Global finance is being rebuilt not through hype, but through operators solving real problems with better tools. And Miami is becoming one of the places where this transformation is happening fastest.
Join Miami Fintech Club
If you want to be part of the conversations shaping the next generation of payments, blockchain innovation, digital assets, and financial infrastructure, consider becoming a member of the Miami Fintech Club.
Members get access to curated executive events, private roundtables, industry connections, learning opportunities, and a community committed to elevating Miami as a global fintech hub.
Learn more and join the community at:
https://www.miamifintechclub.com