Stanford researcher Lisa Nestor analyzed 41 million USDC transactions on Airtm to measure stablecoin performance in cross-border payments. The data shows 96% settlement within one hour, competitive fees for micropayments, and strong evidence that open networks deliver better outcomes than closed systems.
Lisa Nestor, director of Stanford's Future of Digital Currency Initiative, published research analyzing 41 million USDC transactions on Airtm's platform. Key findings: 96% of transactions settled within one hour, 85% of business-to-consumer transactions completed end-to-end in under one hour, and 42% of transactions were under $10, enabling micropayments previously impossible in traditional systems. Fees averaged 4-7% for small transactions but improved with larger amounts. The research demonstrates stablecoins already exceed G20 2030 cross-border payment targets for speed and cost. Nestor argues open networks are critical for user choice, competitive pricing, and access to liquidity, contrasting with closed payment systems that lock users in.
