Pakistan freelancers earned a record $197 million in September 2026, lifting first-quarter inflows to about $550 million—46% higher than a year earlier—as global payment platforms and large US businesses move more cross-border money through stablecoins (dollar-linked digital tokens used for settlement).
The figures were cited alongside a new Payoneer study, Stablecoin Steps Up, presented at Money20/20 in Las Vegas. The survey covered 265 senior payments, treasury and finance leaders at US-based marketplaces, platforms and enterprises with annual revenues of at least $100 million.
How businesses are using stablecoins
According to the survey, 69% of respondents were already using stablecoins in live operations, and 41% said use had reached meaningful scale. Faster settlement was the most cited realised benefit, named by 50% of respondents. Improved access to markets and currencies followed at 41%, and a better recipient experience at 40%.
Broader roll-out is also planned. About one-third of the surveyed businesses already offer stablecoin tools to customers, half intend to introduce them within three years, and 82% expect stablecoins to sit inside their financial infrastructure over that same period.
Payoneer said adoption can start with recipients who want to hold dollar-denominated balances—a need the report links to Pakistan’s estimated three million freelancers. It also flagged hard practical steps: the “last mile” of turning digital dollars into spendable local currency, meeting regulatory rules, reconciling accounts, and plugging stablecoins into existing systems.
Rules and remittance savings
The findings arrive as Pakistan builds oversight for virtual assets. The Virtual Assets Act 2026 set up the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA)—the body that licenses and supervises the sector. The regulator estimates that cutting transfer costs by one percentage point on roughly $40 billion in annual remittances could save the country around $400 million a year.
Rowland Berry, Payoneer’s vice president for stablecoin, said the research shows marketplaces and enterprises putting stablecoins to work for cross-border payments, treasury operations and new financial products for customers. He added that firms moving past pilots must integrate the technology with current systems, meet regulatory requirements, and make sure recipients can access and use the money they receive.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan ke freelancers ne September 2026 mein record $197 million kamaye. Pehli quarter ki kamai lagbhag $550 million ho gayi, jo pichhle saal se 46% zyada hai. Badi companies stablecoins se dollar payments tez aur sasti karne ki koshish kar rahi hain. Agar remittance charges thore kam ho jayein, to mulk ko saal bhar mein bohot bara faida ho sakta hai—lekin digital dollars ko asani se rupay mein badalna ab bhi mushkil hosakta hai.
