Our rapid growth since launch has been driven by a charmingly relentless push to modernize an industry that I believe is sleepwalking towards a precipice, especially regarding payment solutions like Apple Pay that don't integrate well with outdated systems.

Recent advancements in Layer 2 solutions allow crypto payments to be processed in under one second and at a cost of less than one cent, making them competitive with legacy payment systems.

Stablecoins can disrupt the current payment model by providing a horizontal layer for building services, enhancing competition and reducing fees in the payment industry.

The U.S. payment system is generally efficient, but there are inefficiencies in cross-border transactions that need to be addressed, particularly with real-time payment systems.

The current financial system is inefficient, relying on a heterogeneous set of databases and batch processing, which could be improved with a more efficient, real-time data system.

The current state of digital currencies and decentralized systems is vastly different from the past, with improved tools and infrastructure enabling new applications and use cases.

For innovative businesses, integrating stablecoins can simplify payment processes and reduce reliance on traditional financial institutions, presenting a significant opportunity.

The programmability of stablecoins enables innovative payment solutions, such as streaming payments, where users can pay for services on a day-by-day basis instead of in bulk.

The internet has effectively removed intermediaries in many sectors, but the payments and finance sectors remain dominated by traditional systems like Visa, which extract significant fees.