Autor Cointelegraph by Nate Kostar

Stablecoins moved more than $400 million an hour in adjusted transfer volume during the third quarter of 2026, as quarterly activity reached $891 billion, more than quadrupling since early 2023, according to a new report commissioned by Coinbase.The report found that 73% of screened stablecoin transfer volume occurred outside US banking hours, including nights, weekends and holidays.Distribution of stablecoin transfer volume by time of day. Source: Coinbase and The Block Research, via Dune AnalyticsSeven of the 10 largest US banks have tested stablecoins or tokenized deposits for settlement, while 30% of mid-market companies conducting cross-border business are using or piloting stablecoins, up from 10% in 2024. Business-to-business payment volume also rose 36% year over year.Conducted by The Block Research, the findings identified 293 million blockchain addresses holding stablecoins, exceeding the combined number of cards issued by American Express and Discover, though researchers cautioned that addresses do not necessarily represent individual users.The report also estimated that moving 80% of international transactions onto stablecoin networks could add $155 billion to global GDP annually and free up roughly $3 trillion in liquidity currently held by banks to support cross-border payments.Those projections are based on hypothetical adoption scenarios rather than observed economic gains. Researchers also acknowledged that widespread stablecoin adoption could reduce bank lending, potentially offsetting some of the benefits of faster and cheaper payments.Related: Visa, Mesh partner to enable crypto spending at 175M merchant locationsSurvey finds growing demand for crypto services at US banksA separate survey released Monday by the National Cryptocurrency Association found that 42% of US adults, representing approximately 112 million people, would be more likely to open an account with a bank offering crypto services or use that institution for more of their financial needs.The survey found that 18% of US adults would like to buy or use stablecoins through their primary bank or financial institution. However, 64% said their bank, credit union or financial advisor had never raised the topic of cryptocurrency, while 43% did not know whether their bank offered crypto services.Americans’ interest in crypto banking services by demographic group. Source: National Cryptocurrency Association, 2026 Crypto at the Bank ReportStablecoin market cap remains flat despite rising transaction volumesDespite increasing transaction activity, the stablecoin market capitalization stood at $301.42 billion on Tuesday, a decline of about 0.6% from $303.14 billion on Oct. 20, 2025, according to DefiLlama data.Last week, Standard Chartered pushed back its forecast for the stablecoin market to reach $2 trillion from 2028 to 2030, citing slower supply growth. Citi, meanwhile, has projected a $1.9 trillion market by 2030 in its base case, with a bullish scenario reaching $4 trillion.Magazine: Agents can trade 24/7 — but Yat Siu warns you could lose access at any time

SkyAI, formerly Sharps Technology, has sold its entire Solana (SOL) treasury and launched a tender offer to repurchase up to $201.3 million in shares and warrants, reversing its cryptocurrency accumulation strategy.The company held approximately $223.8 million in cash as of Oct. 16 after liquidating its SOL holdings, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.The tender offer allows shareholders and warrant holders to sell their securities directly back to SkyAI at a fixed price. It covers up to 95% of each class of the company’s outstanding shares and warrants, funded entirely by cash on hand.The company said the tender offer is no longer tied to SOL’s price, a condition it had initially planned to include when announcing the buyback on Oct. 11. SkyAI intends to continue developing a financial platform combining stablecoin infrastructure on Solana with artificial intelligence.SkyAI shares closed Monday at $2.79, up 5.3% on the day, according to Yahoo Finance data. The stock has gained approximately 65% over the past month but remains down about 41% over the past year.Related: Solana shows resilience, but some areas need continued observation, Fidelity saysSkyAI reverses Solana treasury strategy after one yearSkyAI launched its Solana treasury strategy in August 2025 after raising more than $400 million through a private placement. The company acquired more than 2 million SOL the following month, establishing a position valued at more than $400 million at the time.By the end of 2025, the company held approximately 2.08 million SOL with a cost basis of $403.1 million, or roughly $194 per token. Its holdings were valued at $250.1 million, representing approximately $153 million in unrealized losses, according to its annual financial disclosures.The losses reflected broader pressure on companies that accumulated SOL as a treasury asset. By February 2026, publicly traded Solana treasury companies faced more than $1.5 billion in combined unrealized losses as falling token prices weighed on their holdings and share valuations.SOL fell to around $62 in June but has since recovered, trading near $104 as of Monday, according to CoinGecko data. Source: CoinGeckoMagazine: Can the SEC and CFTC’s pro-crypto rules be overturned? Legal opinionCointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

Cointelegraph is committed to providing independent, high-quality journalism across the crypto, blockchain, AI, and fintech industries.All news, reviews, and analyses are produced with full journalistic independence and integrity. For more details on our standards and processes, please read our Editorial Policy.

Cointelegraph is committed to providing independent, high-quality journalism across the crypto, blockchain, AI, and fintech industries.All news, reviews, and analyses are produced with full journalistic independence and integrity. For more details on our standards and processes, please read our Editorial Policy.

Bitcoin treasury company Strive purchased 4,045 Bitcoin for approximately $335 million last week, bringing its total holdings to 36,818 BTC as it continues to expand its cryptocurrency reserves through equity financing.The company acquired the Bitcoin (BTC) between Oct. 12-16 at an average price of $82,803 per coin, including fees and expenses, according to a Monday filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.Strive is now the fourth-largest publicly traded corporate BTC holder, ahead of MARA Holdings, with reserves valued at approximately $3 billion, according to data from BitcoinTreasuries.net. MARA was reported to be selling some of its holdings, as Arkham tracked wallets linked to the miner depositing about $82 million worth of the crypto into Binance and Gate in recent days.Strive’s Bitcoin holdings reached 36,818 BTC. Source: BitcoinTreasuries.NETStrive also reported approximately $369 million in proceeds from warrant exercises on Oct. 12 and 13, resulting in the issuance of 13.7 million common shares. Its effective share count rose 12.4%, roughly matching the 12.3% increase in Bitcoin holdings and leaving BTC per share largely unchanged.The latest acquisition follows a series of large Bitcoin purchases by the company, including a 3,311 purchase the previous week, when its holdings grew 11.2%, outpacing a 9.4% increase in its effective common share count.Strive also announced the launch of SATS last week, a new preferred stock issue carrying a fixed 15% annual dividend, payable each business day beginning Nov. 9, subject to board approval. The company priced a $630 million offering of the new preferred shares last week, with proceeds potentially funding additional Bitcoin purchases.Strive (ASST) shares were up around 7.7% at $25.95 in late-morning trading Monday, according to Yahoo Finance data.Magazine: Made an ‘honest’ mistake with crypto taxes? New bill offers way outCointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.