When Clients Ask to Pay in Stablecoins: Chris’s Story

Why Some Australian Businesses Are Saying Yes to Stablecoin Payments

When Sydney-based contractor Chris began working with clients in Dubai, he assumed his invoices would be settled the traditional way via international bank transfers. Instead, several clients asked a new question: “Can we pay you in USDT?”

For the Dubai clients, the motivation was straightforward: stablecoins offered faster settlement, lower costs and a simpler way to move money internationally. A bank wire could take several business days and cost upwards of $30 to $50 per transaction. A stablecoin transfer could arrive within minutes at a fraction of the cost.

A Global Shift in Payments

Chris’s experience reflects a broader global trend. Stablecoins processed more than US$7 trillion worth of transactions in 2024, exceeding the combined annual payment volumes of Visa and Mastercard. USDT and USDC now account for the vast majority of activity in decentralised finance markets, and are increasingly being used for cross-border commerce.

“Stablecoins have become the de facto settlement currency for many international businesses,” says Samira Tollo CTO of FastStables . “If you’re working with clients overseas, especially in Asia or the Middle East, there’s a high chance they’ll prefer to pay this way.”

For companies already holding stablecoins as part of their treasury, paying suppliers directly with stablecoin avoids the added friction of converting into local currencies.

Finding the Middle Ground

For Australian contractors, the challenge is not whether to accept stablecoins, but how to do so without adding complexity to their domestic accounts.

Platforms such as FastStables have emerged to provide that middle ground. The service gives businesses a wallet address to receive USDC or USDT, settles the funds into Australian dollars, and pays them out instantly via PayID.

This allows contractors like Chris to raise invoices in AUD through Xero , paste their FastStables wallet address in the payment instructions, and reconcile the AUD deposit in their bank feed as if it were any other payment.

The Business Impact

For Chris, the impact was tangible:

• Faster cash flow, with settlement times measured in minutes rather than days.
• Reduced costs, as clients avoided international transfer fees.
• Improved client relationships, since payments could be made in the format clients already preferred.

Implications for SMEs

While stablecoin use in Australia remains relatively limited, adoption overseas is accelerating. In regions such as the Middle East and Asia, stablecoins have become a mainstream settlement tool, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises operating across borders.

Samira Tollo argues that Australian businesses risk being left behind if they cannot accommodate client preferences.

Stablecoin payments are simply the next evolution of electronic payments.

They’re about speed, efficiency and cost savings. For many firms, this is simply how business gets done now.

Australian businesses that can accept stablecoins are better positioned to attract global clients and maintain competitiveness in markets that already operate on these digital rails.

Looking Ahead

For Chris, saying “yes” to stablecoin payments meant meeting his clients where they were while keeping his accounting workflows unchanged.

For Australian SMEs more broadly, the lesson is clear: as global payment behaviours shift, the ability to accept stablecoins could become less of a competitive differentiator and more of a baseline expectation.

Start Accepting Stablecoin Payments Today

FastStables makes it easy for Australian businesses to accept USDC and USDT from clients anywhere in the world with AUD settlement via PayID.

Instant conversion to AUD
0.25% settlement fee
Seamless Xero reconciliation

Create your FastStables account today and simplify your international payments.

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