Stablecoins recorded an unprecedented $15.6 trillion in transfer volume during Q3 2025. Bots handled 71% of these transactions, according to CEX.IO's latest report. Organic activity from real users accounted for just 20%.
Bot Dominance in stablecoin Transfers
High-frequency bots perform over 1,000 transactions monthly. They exceed $10 million in volume each month.
Illya Otychenko, CEX.IO market research analyst, states that these bots include captured and unlabeled types dominating the 71% figure.
This bot activity drives liquidity but often lacks meaningful economic value. Otychenko notes it may not reflect true usage.
Retail Adoption Trends
Retail transfers under $250 peaked in September 2025. Activity could surpass $60 billion by year-end.
Trading fuels 88% of these small transactions on CeFi platforms, per CEX.IO data.
Non-trading uses like remittances grew over 15% in 2025. Stablecoins facilitate payments and cash-outs.
Net Inflows and Leading Assets
Q3 saw $46 billion in net inflows. Tether's USDT captured $20 billion.
Circle's USDC followed with $12.3 billion. Ethena's USDe added $9 billion.
These inflows highlight stablecoin growth amid market volatility.
CeFi Implications
CeFi relies on stablecoins for settlements and trading pairs. Bot inflation misleads volume metrics.
Visa adjusts for inorganic bot activity in its onchain dashboard. This reveals overstated transaction data.
According to Visa, stablecoin volumes can appear inflated due to bots and high-frequency trading.
lending apps held 59.83% dominance over CeFi in Q2 2025, Galaxy reports.
DeFi Dynamics
Bots interact with protocols for liquidity provision. They represent less than half of stablecoin volumes.
Otychenko emphasizes distinguishing bot from organic activity for risk assessment.
sees upward trends in stablecoin yields. On-chain strategies offer competitive returns in 2025.
Regulatory Considerations
Policymakers need to evaluate systemic risks accurately. Bot dominance affects adoption metrics.
2025 serves as an inflection point for stablecoins, McKinsey indicates. Regulations focus on transparency.
stablecoin market cap reached $252 billion amid evolving rules.
Future Outlook
Ethereum showed upward stablecoin volume trends in early 2025. This suggests increased activity.
Users can pursue yield opportunities in CeFi and DeFi. Prioritize regulated stablecoins for safety.
This bot prevalence reveals the automated underbelly of crypto markets. It prompts CeFi and DeFi stakeholders to prioritize authentic user engagement for long-term viability.
