Billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller believes that blockchain-based stablecoins and tokens could form the backbone of the global payments system over the next decade, although he remains skeptical that cryptocurrencies will work as long-term stores of value.
Key points to remember:
- Stanley Druckenmiller says stablecoins could power the global payments system within 10 to 15 years.
- He claims that blockchain-based tokens offer faster and cheaper settlement than traditional payment routes.
- Despite the support for stablecoins, Druckenmiller remains skeptical of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin as stores of value.
Speaking in an interview with Morgan Stanley recorded on January 30 and published on Friday, the former hedge fund manager said blockchain technology offers clear productivity gains in payments, particularly when applied to stablecoins.
“Blockchain and the use of stablecoins, if you want to add crypto to it, tokens, incredibly useful in terms of productivity,” Druckenmiller said.
Druckenmiller Says Stablecoins Could Replace Traditional Payment Rails
Druckenmiller predicted that digital tokens could gradually replace existing payment channels used by banks and financial institutions.
“My guess is that all of our payment systems will be stablecoins in 10 or 15 years,” he said, adding that the technology offers faster and cheaper settlement compared to traditional payment infrastructure.
Druckenmiller built his reputation on Wall Street after founding Duquesne Capital Management in 1981.
The company produced an average annual return of around 30% before closing its doors in 2010 and never recorded a losing year during its existence.
His views on blockchain adoption echo comments he made in 2021, when he suggested that a decentralized payment system could eventually challenge the financial networks supporting the US dollar.
At the time, Druckenmiller argued that declining confidence in central banks had opened the way to alternative systems. “Well, the problem has been clearly identified.
It’s Jerome Powell and the rest of the world, the central bankers,” he said in an interview with CNBC. “There’s a lack of trust.”
Stablecoins have gained momentum in recent years as regulators and traditional financial firms explore settlement systems for digital assets.
Payments companies including Western Union, MoneyGram and Zelle have discussed stablecoin-based settlement initiatives following regulatory developments in the United States.
GENIUS Act Boosts Stablecoin Adoption as Druckenmiller Doubts Bitcoin’s Role
Last year, the passage of the GENIUS Act, a stablecoin-focused law aimed at establishing clearer rules for digital payment services, encouraged financial companies to explore blockchain-based settlement infrastructure.
Despite his optimism about the technology behind stablecoins, Druckenmiller is still not convinced that cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin serve any meaningful purpose as stores of value.
“It’s a solution in search of a problem. I’m very sad that this happened,” he said.
While acknowledging that Bitcoin has developed a loyal following, Druckenmiller said he still prefers gold, describing it as a “5,000-year-old brand.”
He added that even though he doesn’t currently own Bitcoin, he probably should.
The global value of stablecoin transactions reached $33 trillion in 2025, an increase of 72% from the previous year, according to Bloomberg data compiled by Artemis Analytics.
USDC became the most widely used stablecoin in terms of trading volume, processing $18.3 trillion, while Tether’s USDT processed $13.3 trillion, despite maintaining its market cap lead at $187 billion.
The article Billionaire Says Stablecoins Could Power Global Payments in 10-15 Years appeared first on Cryptonews.
