What’s it like to rebuild cross-border payments from the ground up—with stablecoins at the core? In our latest Unqualified Opinions podcast episode, Messari’s Andrew Dyer sits down with Arnold Lee, co-founder of Sphere Labs, to explore how programmable money is reshaping financial infrastructure in emerging markets. They dig into: - Why the “stablecoin sandwich” is changing global settlement flows - How Sphere Pay & Sphereet are tackling real-world routing complexity - The growing tension between dollar stablecoin adoption and sovereign policy - Why being small and nimble is an edge in markets TradFi won’t touch 🎧 Watch the full episode YouTube: https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pmessari.co/4eZWbWA Spotify: https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pmessari.co/3IGjdFV Apple: https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.plnkd.in/eJ3Bsdf2 📘 Dive deeper in the State of Stablecoins 2025, where Sphere Labs contributed on-the-ground insights on stablecoin usage, liquidity, and compliance in underserved markets. Get the Full Report: https://xmrrwallet.com/cmx.pmessari.co/452A7Ge
For the ones who do not know it yet: the "stablecoin sandwich" approach is converting local currencies into stablecoins (typically USD-based) before converting to the destination currency. This method enhances liquidity and offers better exchange rates compared to direct currency pairs, facilitating more efficient cross-border transactions.
B2B Adoption Outpaces B2C in Emerging Markets. There is a growing demand among international businesses for faster settlements, and elimination of foreign exchange markups.