Rise CEO on Why Stablecoin Payroll Is the Real Killer App | Partner Content

Summary

Hugo Finkelstein, CEO of Rise, discusses how stablecoin payroll is gaining traction among traditional businesses, not just crypto-native ones. He highlights demand from workers in emerging markets for USD access, and the role of compliance and UX in driving adoption. The conversation covers geography, infrastructure gaps, and the potential for a stablecoin network effect.

• Rise has processed over $1.5 billion in payroll using stablecoins and crypto rails.
• Demand for stablecoin payroll is highest in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa due to broken fiat infrastructure.
• US workers are also requesting stablecoin payouts for remittances and on-chain finance.
• Traditional international businesses are increasingly using stablecoins to pay workers, not just crypto companies.
• Compliance and user experience are the biggest barriers to broader stablecoin adoption for payroll.
• Embedded yield could transform payroll into a financial product with on-chain benefits.
• Finkelstein expects a stablecoin network effect as more merchants and financial institutions accept stablecoins.
• The convergence of web2 and web3 finance is anticipated within the next few years.