The “when will Big Tech embrace crypto” question might finally have an answer, or at least, a hint.
Major players like Apple, Elon Musk’s X, and Airbnb are reportedly in early-stage talks about stablecoin adoption, according to sources cited by Fortune.
These conversations, while still exploratory, reflect a broader shift in attitude toward blockchain-powered payments, especially for lowering transaction fees and navigating international money flows more efficiently.
Why stablecoins are gaining Big Tech’s attention
Stablecoins, crypto tokens pegged to the U.S. dollar or other fiat currencies, are gaining traction as more than just a crypto-native payment method.
Companies like Meta and Uber have already hinted at their own stablecoin-related plans, and now Apple, Airbnb, and X are joining the party.
Apple has reportedly been in conversations with players like Circle since January, while Airbnb is considering ways to trim its credit card fees by potentially enabling stablecoin payments through processors like Worldpay.
Elon Musk’s X, which has ambitions to become an “everything app,” is also weighing stablecoins for its payments feature, X Money. Internal leadership on the project has shifted hands, but discussions with firms like Stripe suggest the plan is still active.
Meanwhile, Google Cloud appears to be ahead of the pack, it has already settled invoices with customers using PayPal’s PYUSD stablecoin.
According to Rich Widmann, Google Cloud’s head of Web3 strategy, stablecoins are quietly working their way into the company’s accounting systems.
Regulation, strategy, and the next steps
This growing momentum comes as Washington signals a softer regulatory stance under Trump’s reelection. Lawmakers are debating legislation that would provide clearer rules for stablecoin issuers, and many see Stripe’s acquisition of the stablecoin startup Bridge as a catalyst for renewed industry attention.
Still, hurdles remain. One crypto exec noted that picking which stablecoin to integrate, Tether, USDC, PYUSD, or potentially one built in-house, could be tricky due to compliance questions and adoption concerns.
However, with fintech heavyweights like Stripe leading the way, Big Tech appears more open than ever to making stablecoins part of their future payment stack.
