Stablecoins Shift Across Networks While Staying in Crypto - Crypto Economy

TL;DR

• Stablecoin liquidity migrates from Ethereum to Tron, driven by near-zero fees and faster transactions.
• Tron’s supply surpasses $83 billion, solidifying its role as a leading network for remittances and payments.
• Total stablecoin market cap hits $300 billion, signaling maturity and real-world utility.

A drop in ERC-20 stablecoin supply is often framed as “liquidity leaving crypto.” The numbers tell a different story: liquidity is moving between networks.

On January 19, 2026, USDT on Tron (TRC-20) registered 82,434,679,540 tokens. One day later, on January 20, the figure jumped to 83,434,679,540. The change represents +$1 billion USDT in a single day through a direct mint on Tron.

Meanwhile, Ethereum faced simultaneous contractions. USDT ERC-20 fell $3 billion during the same period. USDC ERC-20 lost $3.55 billion. The combined total reached approximately -$6.5 billion stablecoins removed from Ethereum.

Ethereum Records Historic Outflows

Ethereum’s stablecoin supply dropped sharply, falling approximately $7 billion over the prior week to around $155-$166 billion by late January, reflecting heavy outflows of -$3.78 billion on the mainnet. The decline aligns with offshore capital rotation away from Ethereum toward cheaper alternatives, amid a historic weekly dip in crypto stablecoins.

Tron, meanwhile, recorded strong inflows of +$1.02 billion during the same period, bolstering its position as the second-largest stablecoin network with over $83 billion in supply, dominated by USDT. The network processed over $20 billion in daily volume, highlighting its resilience and appeal for high-throughput settlements in emerging markets.

Cost Advantages Drive Migration Toward Tron

Tron’s advantages—near-zero fees ($0.09 median vs. Ethereum’s $3.73), 3-second confirmations, and EVM compatibility—drove the divergence, sustaining growth even as Ethereum contracted. The shift underscores stablecoins prioritizing utility over speculation, with Tron acting as a key settlement layer.

Ethereum and Tron dominate adjusted stablecoin volumes, settling $772 billion (64% of total) in September 2025, but Layer 2 solutions like Base and Arbitrum are gaining ground for cost efficiency and speed. Tron excels in USDT flows, while issuers like Circle limit support on certain chains, pushing multi-rail strategies.

Market Cap Hits $300 Billion Milestone

Stablecoin market cap hit approximately $300 billion by late 2025, up 49% year-over-year, fueled by tokenized liquidity for cross-border payments and real-world assets. Trends point to 2026 integration with traditional finance, including bank-issued coins and stablecoin-to-fiat rails, enhancing global settlement without liquidity flight.

Institutions favor primary rails like Ethereum for deep liquidity and finality, using secondary L2s or high-throughput chains like Solana for operations. Fragmentation improves resilience and scalability, positioning stablecoins as internet-native dollars rather than a speculative asset class.

Capital Rotation Reflects Optimization Strategy

Capital rotation between networks reflects operational cost optimization. Users move funds to chains that best fit specific needs, from micropayments to large-volume institutional settlements.

Tron processed over $20 billion daily in stablecoin transactions, a volume rivaling traditional payment processors. The network consolidated as preferred infrastructure for remittances in Asia and Latin America.

Tron’s 3-second confirmations contrast with longer block times on other networks. Finality speed enables point-of-sale and trading use cases where minute-long delays prove unacceptable.

EVM Compatibility Reduces Migration Friction

EVM compatibility allows projects originally built for Ethereum to deploy on Tron without rewriting code. Technical interoperability reduces friction in multi-chain migration.

Circle limits USDC issuance to selected networks based on security and compliance standards. The selective strategy contrasts with Tether’s broad USDT distribution across multiple blockchains.

Stablecoin issuers evaluate network security risks before expanding. Chains with exploit history or excessive centralization face barriers to attracting top-tier issuers.

Base and Arbitrum offer significantly reduced costs versus Ethereum mainnet while maintaining Ethereum’s security inheritance. Layer 2 solutions capture fee-sensitive volume without sacrificing base layer trust.

Transaction Volume Rivals Traditional Systems

Daily volume of $772 billion in September 2025 demonstrates stablecoins operate as payment rails at scale comparable with traditional systems. On-chain activity rivals processors like Visa in certain corridors.

The $7 billion decline in Ethereum during one week represents rotation, not net crypto exit. Funds migrated to other chains rather than converting to fiat, preserving total market liquidity.

Institutions implement multi-rail strategies using different blockchains for distinct functions. Ethereum handles custody and final settlements, while faster chains execute daily operations.

Network Specialization Accelerates

Network specialization accelerates as different chains optimize for specific use cases. Tron focuses on remittances and peer-to-peer transfers, while Ethereum anchors institutional custody and large settlements.

The stablecoin supply shift between networks occurred without triggering market instability. Liquidity moved seamlessly across chains, demonstrating mature infrastructure for cross-chain transfers.

Payment processors and exchanges increasingly support multiple blockchain networks for stablecoin deposits and withdrawals. Multi-chain infrastructure became standard rather than exceptional.

Tron’s transaction throughput exceeds 2,000 per second, enabling scale for consumer payment applications. The capacity supports merchant adoption in markets where traditional banking infrastructure remains limited.

Regulatory developments influence network selection for stablecoin issuers

Jurisdictions with clear frameworks attract compliant issuers, while regulatory uncertainty pushes activity to permissionless chains.

The $300 billion market cap milestone positions stablecoins as material components of global payment infrastructure. Volume metrics suggest integration with traditional finance accelerates rather than slows.

Cross-border payment corridors utilizing stablecoins report settlement times measured in minutes versus days for traditional wire transfers. Speed advantages drive adoption among businesses managing international supply chains.

Network fees directly impact economic viability for small-value transactions. Tron’s sub-$0.10 median fees enable micropayments impractical on higher-cost networks.