News & Insights

Are stablecoins a threat to traditional payment processes?

September 5, 2025

Time to Read: 2:40 mins

In this video, Walter Scott client investment manager George Dent argues that despite their growing popularity, stablecoins are not likely to usurp traditional payment methods such as credit cards soon – especially when it comes to everyday retail payments.

Key points:

Stablecoins, linked to fiat currencies, offer payment stability but compete with traditional payment methods like credit cards by enabling cheaper global money transfers, especially for crypto trading firms.
But credit cards maintain advantages such as wide acceptance, loyalty programmes and consumer protections, making stablecoins less appealing for everyday retail and travel payments.
Major payment networks such as Visa and MasterCard are integrating stablecoins into their platforms, reducing the threat they pose to traditional payment processors.

2659659 Exp: 22 December 2025

Report | Macroeconomic

Monthly Checkpoints

Checkpoints is a comprehensive monthly chartbook highlighting major top-of-mind themes that could shape financial markets in the near term. In addition to the broader macroeconomic discussion, Checkpoints delivers detailed views on major asset classes, including global equities, fixed income and real assets.

Chart of the week | Macroeconomic

Healthy correction?

After climbing 17% year to date through late October, the S&P 500 declined 5% through November 20. We believe the market was due for a healthy correction. While further downside is possible, it would not concern us.

Article | Equities

Novo Nordisk: rethinking the playbook

Direct-to-client (DTC) health platforms and personalized compounded treatments may become standard practice in the rapidly evolving obesity treatment market. Walter Scott investment analyst Dr Oriana Beaumont believes that Novo Nordisk’s recent changes will help position them to effectively compete in this exciting and vast market.

Article | Macroeconomic

Treasury Road Trip

At $30 trillion outstanding, on its way to $52 trillion over the next decade, the U.S. Treasury market is the deepest, most liquid government bond market in the world.