- There has been a 14% increase in the global stablecoin supply since January to just over $242 billion.
- Tether continues to dominate the stablecoin industry, with nearly 61% of the overall stablecoin market in circulation.
- This rise in supply results from increased liquidity and stronger investor activity in the DeFi platform.
Since the beginning of 2025, global stablecoin supply has grown by roughly 14%, suggesting increased liquidity flow and DeFi investor demand. According to Token Terminal, the aggregated Year to Date (YTD) change has shown steady momentum recently, skyrocketing in recent weeks, bringing the market closer to the $200 billion mark.
An increase in supply would indicate a rise in capital inflows into dollar-pegged assets such as Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC). In crypto markets, stablecoins are often considered a proxy for so-called dry powder, readily deployable capital. The more stablecoins are out in circulation, the more buying power there is for exchanges and protocols.
Liquidity Return Boosts DeFi and Trading Activity
Increased stablecoin issuance tends to be accompanied by increased trading activity and user participation in DeFi apps. The added liquidity allows smooth transactions and low slippage for high-volume trades and is good for the platforms involved in lending, staking, and providing synthetic assets.
Since mid-January, data from Token Terminal shows a consistent rise in supply volume and YTD growth. The supply, however, paused briefly to plateau in late February to early April but resumed upwards as of mid-April in sync with broader crypto market bullishness.
By far, Tether holds the largest market share in the stablecoin, with circulation at over 61%. However, the trend in growth does not stop with a single issuer, indicating high trust within on-chain stables as a whole despite macroeconomic uncertainty and few fiat yield opportunities.
Stablecoin Bill Faces Setback as Key Democrats Rethink Support
This comes as support for the high-stakes stablecoin bill has weakened among Democratic senators, strengthening the bill’s chances of crossing the Senate by the Memorial Day holiday. The legislation, once celebrated by crypto-friendly Democrats as a bipartisan breakthrough, is now stuck after a second set of Democrats objected.
Some Democratic lawmakers who before backed the bill now complain of unresolved national security, anti-money laundering enforcement, and regulatory control over foreign-issued stablecoins, Politico reported. They are also looking for clearer reporting measures for issuers that don’t comply with the compliance standard.
Among those reconsidering their support is Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego. The President’s stance is meant as a heightened strategic bid for concessions before the final vote. It takes at least seven Democrats to back the bill for Republicans to get the 60 votes needed to break through a Senate filibuster.
Crypto Regulation Still Largely Divided Along Party Lines
The shift illustrates a lasting partisan divide in Washington over digital asset legislation. Although a small group of Democrats supports crypto regulators moving forward, the party as a whole is holding back. Senate Republicans, who introduced the stablecoin bill, intended to weigh innovation’s benefits with the federal framework, but negotiations are stalling.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said he would like the bill passed before the Memorial Day recess. On Sunday, Arizona Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have placed a state-held Bitcoin reserve.
