Blockchain for businesses: from hype to infrastructure

When it comes to blockchain and digital assets, businesses are moving past hype into real adoption. This is down to businesses beginning to see impactful, tangible benefits, especially in international markets. Blockchain and digital assets enable businesses to conduct fluid, real-time cross-border payments.

 

On top of this, the stablecoin market is booming. The total market capitalisation of stablecoins has surpassed $300 billion for the first time, with Tether’s USDT leading with a 58% market share. This particular segment of crypto has experienced rapid growth.

 

The latest corporate backing for stablecoin giants, following the historic IPO of Circle, demonstrates new confidence around stablecoins being embedded into commerce, payments, banking, and global trade. Stablecoin adoption is increasing, and the finance sector is repositioning towards tokenisation, suggesting we’re in a structural shift, not just a cyclical upswing.

 

With this theme in mind, Anil Oncu at Bitpace, the crypto payment gateway, has unpacked how business leaders are progressing their digital asset strategies, and what’s needed for enterprise-scale adoption.

 

1. What real-world business problems is blockchain actually good at solving?

Blockchain and crypto are very effective at fixing inefficiencies in global payments. Cross-border transactions are still slow, costly, and hard to track. Crypto can cut settlement times from days to seconds and lower costs considerably. Blockchain also offers transparency, easy auditing, and real-time reconciliation, all of which are essential for companies that operate across borders.

 

Traditional banking rails cannot solve today’s cross-border liquidity and speed constraints at scale, which is why Bitpace is building the settlement infrastructure that global businesses actually need. Crypto and blockchain finally offer a way to move money at the pace of modern commerce.

 

2. Are you seeing real adoption of blockchain or crypto in your sector?

Yes. We’re seeing adoption in B2B payments, particularly in international trade, supply chain settlements, and treasury operations. Many businesses are using stablecoins for instant, low-cost settlements, reducing their reliance on multiple banks. In our sector, blockchain is also being used for compliance and identity verification, improving security and reducing fraud.

 

At Bitpace, we’re driving adoption by providing businesses with compliant, instant and reliable access to stablecoin-based settlement. By combining regulatory-first design with high-volume settlement capabilities, we ensure businesses can move liquidity globally without compromise. 

 

3. How do you view crypto and blockchain today?

We see crypto and blockchain not as speculative assets but as technologies that deliver real business value. They offer efficiency gains, though businesses are rightly cautious about regulation and operational risks.

 

For us, crypto is a superior payments architecture that eliminates friction where legacy systems consistently create challenges for businesses. The real value is not in the assets themselves but in the settlement architecture they enable: faster, cheaper, programmable and built for a global economy that outgrew legacy rails years ago.

 

4. Has that perception of crypto evolved over time?

Yes, dramatically. Early on, crypto was seen mainly as volatile and speculative. That’s changed with the growth of stablecoins, institutional participation, and new regulations such as MiCA in the EU. The story has shifted from “crypto as a risk” to “crypto as infrastructure.”

 

Crypto has moved to become the next generation of financial infrastructure, and we are building the rails that make it enterprise-ready. Stablecoins, in particular, have proven that real-time, cross-border settlement is not theoretical, and it’s already outperforming traditional correspondent banking.

 

5. Are digital assets like stablecoins an opportunity or a risk for business?

They’re a major opportunity to speed up settlements, improve liquidity, and promote financial inclusion. But they also bring risks around regulation, cybersecurity, and counterparty credibility. Businesses need strong frameworks to manage those risks.

 

My take is that stablecoins will become a standard settlement rail within five years, and businesses that adopt early will gain a structural advantage in liquidity and speed.

 

6. Have regulatory, reputational and technical factors influenced engagement in this space?

All of them. Regulatory clarity is essential, as without it, large-scale adoption is difficult. Reputation-wise, we are careful to avoid any link with illicit activity, so compliance and AML controls are non-negotiable. Technically, we’ve invested heavily in infrastructure that integrates crypto smoothly and securely at an enterprise level.

 

Therefore, regulation isn’t a blocker for us, but rather a superpower, a strength. Bitpace is engineered compliance-first, which is exactly what institutions require to scale their use of digital assets.

 

 7. What’s holding back wider business adoption of blockchain?

There’s a lack of regulatory standardisation between countries, concerns about counterparty risk, and gaps in understanding among decision-makers. Better education and strong compliance frameworks will help address these challenges.

 

That’s precisely the gap Bitpace is solving with our truly global payments infrastructure and ecosystem. The tech is built and ready, being used right now.  It’s the absence of unified, enforceable standards that might be holding businesses back. 

 

8. What needs to change for mainstream enterprise adoption?

We’re already seeing strong engagement, but for full-scale adoption, we need harmonised global regulations, institutional-grade custody solutions, and infrastructure that can support large transaction volumes securely.

 

We’re actively building the backbone that will make blockchain-based settlement the default for enterprises. Compliance-first infrastructure is exactly what unlocks institutional participation, not what delays it. Stablecoins are on track to become a standard settlement rail, and businesses need partners who can provide the speed, liquidity and regulatory assurance required to use them safely.

 

9. Do moves like the US GENIUS Act change the global conversation?

Yes. We’re watching these developments closely. Laws like the GENIUS Act are encouraging because they show policymakers are taking digital assets seriously. While their direct impact may be limited outside the US, they often set a tone for global regulation.

 

Moves like the GENIUS Act reinforce something we’ve long believed, that digital assets are becoming part of the regulated financial system, not an exception to it. These developments validate a reality we already operate in, and the winners will be those prepared to scale within that environment.

 

10. Would clearer regulation make you more likely to invest in crypto or blockchain?

Absolutely. Clear, consistent regulation reduces uncertainty, lowers compliance risk, and builds confidence to invest in innovation. MiCA in the EU is a good example of how clarity can drive institutional and corporate participation.

 

Clear regulation will encourage investment and accelerate innovation by giving responsible operators like Bitpace the framework to scale to serve more and more regions, particularly in emerging markets, where access to financial services is not great.

 

11. What’s your top advice for businesses entering this space?

Start with a clear use case and focus on compliance first. Don’t be drawn in by hype or short-term opportunities. The goal should be efficiency and customer value. Work with regulated, reputable partners who understand your sector.

 

My advice is simple: focus on real efficiency gains and choose partners built for compliance from day one.

 

12. Any standout examples that have shaped your view of blockchain?

The strongest proof point is watching regulated businesses use stablecoins to settle global transactions instantly, while unregulated players continue to fail, demonstrating why governance and innovation must advance together.

 

One of the clearest examples is a multinational manufacturer and logistics operator using stablecoins and blockchain for cross-border payments and compliance. Supplier invoices across five continents that once took days to settle via correspondent banks are now completed in seconds, with real-time auditability.

 

At the same time, identity verification and KYC/AML processes that previously took weeks are now automated and fully compliant. This experience showed us firsthand that blockchain delivers measurable efficiency, transparency, and risk reduction at scale, and that enterprise-ready infrastructure is essential to make it work. 

 

---

 

Anil Oncu is CEO of Bitpace

 

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com and peshkov