DCUC Conference 2026: Credit Union Leaders Seek Answers As Stablecoin Adoption Accelerates
By CU Today Staff —
AVENTURA, Fla.--Even as stablecoins dominate discussion across the financial services industry, many credit union leaders are still trying to understand exactly why they matter, with questions from attendees consuming much of a packed breakout session at the Defense Credit Union Council's Annual Conference here on Wednesday.
Rather than focusing on the mechanics of the technology, much of the session evolved into an extended Q&A, underscoring that many executives are still trying to determine whether stablecoins represent a genuine opportunity.
Brian Kaas, president and managing director of ventures at TruStage, spent much of his presentation explaining the basics of stablecoins before fielding a steady stream of questions from attendees, including one that summed up the uncertainty in the room: "So why do we need stablecoins?" Others asked about infrastructure requirements, fraud protection, insurance coverage, timelines for adoption, and whether the federal government should simply issue a digital dollar instead.
Kaas argued the technology is moving far faster than many credit unions realize, pointing to major banks, payment companies and retailers investing heavily in stablecoin infrastructure following passage of the GENIUS Act. Citing industry forecasts, he said the number of stablecoin holders is expected to grow from about 160 million in 2025 to roughly 1 billion by 2030, while annual transaction volume could climb from $10 trillion-$15 trillion today to $100 trillion-$200 trillion by the end of the decade. He noted that global credit and debit card transaction volume currently totals about $45 trillion-$55 trillion annually, suggesting stablecoins could eventually rival or surpass traditional card payments.
According to Kaas, major financial institutions including JPMorgan, Visa, Mastercard and Stripe are already building stablecoin capabilities, while retailers such as Amazon and Walmart are reportedly exploring their own stablecoins to reduce payment processing costs and create new revenue opportunities. He predicted credit unions will begin seeing stablecoin payment options emerge over the next year, with widespread adoption potentially occurring within three years.
Kaas warned that while widespread member adoption is still developing, credit unions cannot afford to ignore the trend. As stablecoin usage grows, institutions that fail to offer related services risk losing deposits, payment revenue and ultimately member relationships to competitors that do, he said. TruStage has developed a stablecoin platform designed to help credit unions participate while keeping reserve deposits within the credit union ecosystem.
Originally reported by CU Today.