AI solo firms could fuel $262B stablecoin market by 2033
AI-powered solo entrepreneurs could generate $262 billion in stablecoin transaction volume by 2033, opening a new $1.3 billion revenue stream for crypto custody and liquidity providers.
AI-enabled microbusinesses are projected to settle $262 billion in payments using stablecoins by 2033, according to a new report from Australian crypto exchange Swyftx. The forecast relies on a 33% adoption rate among AI-native freelance workers, who are expected to account for $775 billion of a $2.1 trillion global gig economy.
This shift is being driven by the rapid growth of solo entrepreneurs utilizing AI tools. Swyftx estimates this group will expand from roughly six to ten million globally today to 17 million over the next decade. These microbusinesses, defined as having fewer than five employees, are currently the fastest adopters of AI technology.
The appeal of stablecoins for this demographic lies in raw cost savings. Traditional cross-border payment rails charge high fees, require multiday settlement windows, and exclude users in more than 50 countries. In contrast, stablecoin transfers using Ethereum layer-2 networks can reduce those fees by up to 90%, saving the average freelancer roughly 86% annually in transfer costs.
“We see the vibe-coding and AI economy as a significant potential tailwind for stablecoin use,” said Pav Hundal, lead market analyst at Swyftx. “Adoption doesn’t happen just because the technology exists. It happens when the economics are compelling, and the rules are clear. For stablecoins, both of those conditions are now falling into place.”
For financial institutions and crypto infrastructure firms, this projected volume represents a tangible revenue opportunity. Swyftx estimates that the institutional settlement layer routing these payments—encompassing over-the-counter liquidity, custody, and yield services—could generate $1.3 billion by 2033. This calculation assumes total transaction, liquidity and custody costs of 0.5%.
The growth potential also extends beyond human freelancers to autonomous AI agents, which cannot open traditional bank accounts and will likely rely on crypto assets for payments. “A lot of these solo founders are going to be sensitive to remittance and transaction fees,” Hundal said. “It’s a potentially chunky market for stablecoins.”
This demand is already materializing across the broader market. The total stablecoin market cap has doubled over the past two years, hitting a record $1.79 trillion in transaction volume this June.
