Freelancer earnings hit $550m in Q1, up 46% on year
First-quarter freelance inflows reached about $550 million, up 46% year on year, as a Payoneer survey tracks wider stablecoin use in cross-border payments.
Pakistan freelancers earned a record $197 million in September 2026.
First-quarter earnings were about $550 million, up 46% from a year earlier.
A Payoneer survey of 265 US marketplace and enterprise payment leaders found 69% already using stablecoins in live operations.
Pakistan’s Virtual Assets Act 2026 created the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) to license and supervise the sector.
PVARA estimates a one-percentage-point cut in transfer costs on roughly $40 billion in annual remittances could save about $400 million a year.