ABU DHABI – The Middle East and North Africa is emerging as one of the world’s most dynamic markets for stablecoin adoption, as users increasingly incorporate stablecoins into a broader range of financial activities, including trading, savings, value preservation and access to digital financial products, according to new findings from Binance Research.
The report, Stablecoins: Transforming the Financial Landscape, identifies MENA as the fastest-growing region for stablecoin savings on Binance Earn. The region’s share of global stablecoin balances held through Binance Earn increased from 5.53% to 9.21%, reflecting growing participation in digital savings products and the increasing maturity of stablecoin use across the region.
This increase does not refer to the yield earned by MENA users. Rather, it means that users in the region now account for a significantly larger proportion of the stablecoins deposited into Binance Earn globally. The data points to a widening use case for stablecoins, complementing their established role in trading with growing adoption for holding value and generating rewards on eligible assets.
Binance Research data also indicates that growth is broad-based across MENA, with the UAE accounting for the largest stablecoin holdings in the region.
Additional data shows that stablecoin balances in MENA increased by more than 100% compared with early 2025, while stablecoins allocated to Binance Earn grew by approximately 60% over the same period. Over a longer timeframe, MENA’s share of stablecoin trading volume on Binance expanded from 7% in 2023 to 11% in 2026, making it the fastest-growing region by trading-volume share during that period.
The findings highlight how stablecoin adoption in MENA is developing across multiple dimensions. Users continue to rely on stablecoins as a core source of liquidity within digital asset markets, while also increasingly using them to preserve value, manage idle balances and access blockchain-based earning opportunities.
Several structural factors are supporting this growth, including broader digital asset adoption, continued progress in regulatory and market infrastructure, greater access to dollar-denominated digital assets and increasing familiarity with stablecoin-based products. In periods of market uncertainty, some users may also choose to hold a greater proportion of their portfolios in stablecoins while remaining within the digital asset ecosystem.
Globally, Binance Research found that 30% of users now hold more than half of their portfolios in stablecoins, compared with 4% in 2020. The figure rises to 36% in emerging markets, indicating that stablecoins are increasingly being held for longer periods alongside their continued use in trading, payments and settlement.
Binance Earn has also distributed more than US$1.2 billion in cumulative rewards to stablecoin holders since 2022. Stablecoins allocated to Binance Earn now represent approximately 33% of stablecoin holdings on the platform, which serves more than 14 million Earn users globally. Historical rewards are not indicative of future returns, and reward rates may vary.
“The growth we are seeing across MENA reflects a broader evolution in how users engage with stablecoins,” said Tarik Erk, Head of MENAT and Senior Executive Officer at Binance.
“Trading remains a central part of the digital asset ecosystem, but users are also exploring how stablecoins can support other financial needs, from maintaining liquidity and preserving value to earning rewards on eligible holdings. This expanding range of use cases demonstrates the increasing maturity of digital asset adoption across the region.”
He added: “MENA continues to benefit from strong digital adoption, growing market infrastructure and increasing regulatory clarity. Together, these developments are creating an environment in which users can engage with digital assets through a wider range of practical and increasingly integrated financial experiences.”
The growth of stablecoin use also supports Binance’s broader evolution into a financial super app. Through one account, users can access trading, earning, payments, transfers, on-chain services, education and other digital financial tools. Stablecoins serve as an important connective layer across this ecosystem, allowing users to move between different products and financial activities through a more integrated experience.
Source: Tahawul Tech