2026-01-10 18:24:24

"Stablecoins are like EasyCards" — this analogy has recently circulated in the financial circle, even with some well-known figures jumping on the bandwagon. It sounds quite comfortable, like putting a familiar name on something unknown. But can this asset class, whose market cap has already surpassed $300 billion and has an annual trading volume of $46 trillion, really be understood through an offline stored-value system?

The problem is, this analogy seems clever but actually forcibly combines completely different financial tools. Stablecoins are not just electronic wallets; their underlying logic, application scenarios, and global liquidity are on a completely different level. They support a whole set of financial infrastructure—such as cross-border payments, smart contracts, and DeFi ecosystems—that simply do not exist in the world of traditional stored-value cards.

We don't need to come up with grand narratives. Just look at reality: many users in third-world countries use stablecoins for international trade settlements, bypassing exchange rate risks and high fees for cross-border transfers. In regions with imperfect financial systems, stablecoins have become a bridge connecting to global markets. This is not some country's financial innovation; it’s a tool already used by global economic participants.

Simplifying such financial innovation to "EasyCard 2.0" is just using terms like "shadow banking" to comfort ourselves. Ultimately, this is a form of cognitive laziness—refusing to understand new things and rushing to dismiss them. If you’re still using this kind of rhetoric in 2026, you’ll only be the subject of jokes in history.

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blocksnark

· 21h ago

Stablecoins are just stablecoins. Do we really need to frame them within traditional finance to understand? Wake up. --- Laughing to death, some people still treat it as a stored-value card... This perspective is a bit narrow, my friend. --- With a transaction volume of 46 trillion USD, some are still talking about "like an EasyCard"... Truly a cognitive downgrade. --- The cross-border settlement cases in the third world—that's the real value of stablecoins, more genuine than any analogy. --- Refusing to understand new things is comfortable, so you don't have to admit you're out of date. I get it. --- Naming unfamiliar concepts with familiar things is basically just a psychological placebo. --- Can offline cards and DeFi infrastructure compare? The IQ gap is a bit large. --- There are always people trying to force revolutionary things back into their comfort zone. It's really annoying. --- If this rhetoric about 2026 isn't eliminated yet, it just shows that some people deserve to be eliminated.

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HodlKumamon

· 21h ago

The data speaks for itself. A $46 trillion trading volume can't be compared to an EasyCard. The difference is just too huge. Boohoo

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FrontRunFighter

· 21h ago

nah the stablecoin = transit card take is just cognitive laziness wrapped in false equivalence... these people are literally trying to sandbox a $300B+ asset class into some offline payment system logic. the infrastructure gap alone—cross-border settlement, defi composability, smart contracts—it's not even the same game

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BTCBeliefStation

· 21h ago

I think the analogy with the EasyCard is really lazy; frankly, it just shows a lack of in-depth understanding. Stablecoins have long been working in cross-border payments in Africa. You're still stuck in the offline stored-value card framework, and the gap... A $46 trillion transaction volume—you're telling me that's a card? Laughable. Traditional finance indeed hasn't figured out how to define it, so they just use familiar concepts, but the more they do, the more absurd it becomes. Ultimately, it's a gap in understanding of on-chain financial infrastructure—comparing two different dimensions of things. When the analogy for the role of stablecoins in the DeFi ecosystem fails, it's time to reflect. Using shadow banking as reassurance is less convincing than facing its true role in the global economy. This kind of argument will indeed be repeatedly brought up as a joke in a couple of years. In essence, it's because the pace of cognitive iteration can't keep up with technological iteration, leading to hasty dismissals.

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NFTRegretter

· 21h ago

This EasyCard analogy is really an insult to stablecoins. Only someone with a poor brain would make such a comparison. Stablecoins have already been running in Africa. People are settling trade with USDC, while some are still thinking about stored-value cards... It's truly laughable. They say shadow banking is just closing your eyes and stealing bells, but the reality is right in front of us, yet they insist on pulling back. Wait, could it be that some people have never used cross-chain stablecoins? It feels like those making this argument have never even lived on the chain. The word "cognitive laziness" is so accurate. They just want to use a familiar name to fool around... By 2026, these words will definitely be a joke. The DeFi ecosystem is really not comparable to stored-value cards; it's a completely different universe. People are still fussing over EasyCards, while users in developing countries have long been using stablecoins for big things. This is called resistance to understanding. The more you rush to deny, the more ignorant you appear... Honestly, people who don't understand stablecoins probably also can't understand why they are being left behind by the times.

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