Crypto Goes Mainstream? Apple, X, and Airbnb Eye Stablecoin Integrations

• Companies like Uber, X, and Apple are developing stablecoin-enabled solutions, while major banks such as Citibank and JPMorgan are pursuing collaborative initiatives.
• The GENIUS Act, nearing Senate approval, is seen as a catalyst for regulatory clarity and could drive mass adoption of stablecoins in the U.S.

Top tech giants like Airbnb, X, and Apple are reportedly having key discussions with crypto firms about the plan to integrate stablecoins into their payment systems. Google Cloud’s head of web3 strategy, Rich Widman, has confirmed that the tech giant is actively exploring the integration of these digital assets. “It’s pretty clear that this is probably one of the biggest upgrades to payments since the SWIFT network,” said Widmann.

Sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Fortune that both Google and its partners view stablecoins as a promising solution for reducing transaction costs and enhancing the efficiency of cross-border payments. This development has escalated as the stablecoin bill, aka the GENIUS Act, passes through the Senate and awaits final approval before becoming part of the legislation.

Apart from the big tech firms, the rush for stablecoin payments is really getting intense. As reported by CNF last month, major banking institutions like Citibank, Bank of America, and JPMorgan are exploring a joint collaborative initiative.

Similarly, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi revealed at a Bloomberg conference on Thursday that the company is currently in the “study” phase of exploring stablecoins for global money transfers.

X Money, Apple Pay To Have Stablecoin Payments

Tech billionaire Elon Musk announced that the platform is collaborating with Visa to develop X Money, aiming to integrate debit cards with digital wallets for seamless peer-to-peer payments. According to sources cited by Fortune, X is also exploring the integration of stablecoins into X Money and is in talks with Stripe to facilitate stablecoin-based transactions.

Additionally, sources revealed that Apple has been considering stablecoin integration within its Apple Pay ecosystem and broader payments infrastructure since January. This includes discussions with Circle’s senior director, Matt Cavin.

Airbnb has been exploring the use of stablecoin payments since early 2025 as a strategy to lower transaction fees paid to card networks such as Visa and Mastercard. “While crypto payments aren’t something we’re focused on integrating into the platform in the near future, we’re always looking at all aspects of payments for ways to improve our community’s experience with it, including developments in digital assets and their use cases,” said an Airbnb spokesperson.

Stablecoins reached a record market capitalization of $250 billion this month, with Standard Chartered projecting the market could grow to $2 trillion by the end of 2028. A significant driver behind this optimism is the anticipated passage of the GENIUS Act, a pivotal legislative effort expected to establish clear regulatory guidelines for stablecoins, potentially accelerating widespread adoption in the U.S.