Ethereum layer 2s hold $13.5B stablecoin supply

As a seasoned crypto investor with over a decade of experience navigating the volatile and ever-evolving digital asset landscape, I find the recent surge in stablecoins locked onto Ethereum layer-2 networks truly fascinating. The growing relevance of stablecoins in real-world use cases is not only a testament to their maturity but also an indicator of the expanding crypto economy.

The amount of stablecoins secured on Ethereum’s secondary layers has hit an unprecedented peak, indicating a growing appetite for digital currencies.

The total supply of stablecoins across all blockchain platforms is primarily controlled by three major players: Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), and the stablecoin issued by Ethereum, known as USDe.

By Dec. 20, the Ethereum blockchain was housing approximately $13.5 billion in stablecoins, as per data from Tie Terminal and CryptoMoon Markets Pro, a crypto data platform for institutions. This has pushed the total circulation of stablecoins to over $205 billion, indicating the expanding significance of the ecosystem in practical applications.

On December 15th, Matthias Seidl, a co-founder at block space analytics company growthepie.xyz, emphasized in a recent post that the inventory of stablecoins is increasing significantly within Ethereum’s layer-2 networks. In fact, the total worth of these stablecoins across all layer 2 platforms is approaching $12 billion.

Importance of stablecoins in crypto use cases

In this current phase, one key advantage that cryptocurrencies have is the use of Stablecoins. The amount of stablecoins locked onto Layer 2 platforms has recently hit an all-time high,” he pointed out.

As reported by DefiLlama, Arbitrum One leads the pack with an impressive total value locked (TVL) of approximately $6.75 billion. Close behind is Base, boasting a TVL of around $3.56 billion.

As an analyst, I find myself observing a significant milestone in the crypto world: The cumulative market capitalization of stablecoins surpassed $200 billion on December 11 and has since continued its ascent to unprecedented peaks, marking over a year’s worth of consistent growth.

According to DefiLlama’s findings, the combined value of all stablecoins has reached a new peak, amounting to approximately $202 billion. It’s important to note that this figure does not include algorithmic stablecoins, which maintain their value using complex algorithms instead of being tied to traditional assets such as fiat or gold.

Stablecoin market cap to maintain growth trajectory

By December 2022, the market had peaked at a record $167 billion in March of that year, however, it quickly declined, falling down to approximately $135 billion by the end of the year.

Since November 7, 2023, the total value of stablecoins, as reported by DefiLlama, has consistently grown, starting from a market capitalization of $123 billion.

For some time now, Tether (USDT) has held the top position among stablecoins. As we moved into the New Year, the market capitalization of USDT stood at approximately $91.7 billion.

By the end of December 2024, DefiLlama data showed a consistent upward trend in its market value, with a total capitalization surpassing $140 billion.

2024’s close finds USDC (Circle’s USD Coin) performing robustly, hitting a record annual high of $42 billion, yet falling short compared to its peak of $55.8 billion achieved back in June 2022.

Looking towards 2025, stablecoins may experience continued significant expansion. According to Arthur Azizov, CEO of B2BINPAY, this growth could potentially explode due to the impact of the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.

In their December 11th report, Bitwise’s Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan and Research Head Ryan Rasmussen predicted that the value of stablecoin assets could potentially double to around $400 billion in the upcoming year, following the passage of stablecoin legislation by the U.S. government.

As per Hougan and Rasmussen’s findings, stablecoins are making inroads into the international transactions and remittances sector, and the value of stablecoins managed (AUM) tends to increase as the cryptocurrency market grows.

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2024-12-20 12:56