Tether Co-Founder: All Currency Will Be Stablecoins by 2030

During his wide-ranging interview at Token2049 in Singapore, Tether co-founder Reeve Collins presented a transformative vision for global finance. “All currency will be a stablecoin. So even fiat currency will be a stablecoin. It’ll just be called dollars, euros, or yen,” Collins stated, emphasizing that this transition represents more than just technological adoption—it signifies a complete reimagining of monetary systems. His prediction places 2030 as the pivotal year when traditional financial instruments will fully embrace blockchain technology, creating what he describes as “traditional currency running on a blockchain rail.”

Collins’ perspective carries significant weight given Tether’s position as one of the most prominent stablecoin issuers in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. His comments suggest that the current distinction between digital assets like USDT and traditional currencies will become increasingly blurred until they essentially merge into the same technological framework. This vision positions stablecoins not as alternatives to traditional money, but as the inevitable evolution of all monetary instruments in the digital age.

The core of Collins’ prediction rests on the fundamental nature of stablecoins themselves. “A stablecoin simply is a dollar, euro, yen, or, you know, a traditional currency running on a blockchain rail by 2030,” he explained. This characterization reframes stablecoins not as new financial instruments but as technological upgrades to existing currencies. The implication is that the US Dollar, Euro, and Japanese Yen will maintain their names, values, and functions while transitioning to more efficient blockchain infrastructure.

This transformation would mean that traditional banking systems and central banks would need to adapt their operations to blockchain technology. The shift Collins describes suggests that the underlying technology of money transmission, settlement, and record-keeping will migrate to distributed ledger systems while maintaining the stability and trust associated with established fiat currencies. The practical result would be faster, more transparent, and potentially more inclusive financial systems operating globally.

The move toward fully onchain finance represents what Collins describes as “a broader shift that will see all forms of finance go onchain.” This comprehensive transformation extends beyond currency to include other financial instruments, potentially revolutionizing how global economic systems operate. The prediction suggests that within five years, the entire financial ecosystem—from personal transactions to international settlements—will operate on blockchain infrastructure.

For traditional financial institutions, this shift presents both challenges and opportunities. The migration of established currencies like the US Dollar and Euro to blockchain rails would require significant infrastructure changes but could dramatically reduce transaction costs and settlement times. The Japanese Yen and other major currencies would similarly benefit from the transparency and efficiency of blockchain technology while maintaining their established monetary policies and economic functions.

Collins’ vision, articulated at one of Asia’s premier cryptocurrency events in Singapore, reflects the growing consensus among blockchain pioneers that traditional finance and digital assets are converging rather than competing. The prediction that all currency will become stablecoins by 2030 suggests that the current experimentation with digital currencies by central banks worldwide is just the beginning of a much larger transformation that will redefine money itself.