Stablecoins are digital currencies designed to hold a steady value, usually pegged one-to-one to traditional money like the U.S. dollar or the Canadian dollar. They move on blockchain networks, allowing money to be sent quickly, globally, and often at lower cost than traditional banking systems.

This episode explores what they are, why governments and companies are paying attention, how they differ from cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and the real trade-offs involved as this technology becomes part of the financial system.

General overviews

• ​ Bank for International Settlements – Annual Economic Report and stablecoin analyses

https://www.bis.org

• ​ International Monetary Fund – Global Financial Stability Report (stablecoins and digital money)

https://www.imf.org

United States

• ​ Federal Reserve – Stablecoins, payments, and financial stability discussions

https://www.federalreserve.gov

• ​ U.S. Department of the Treasury – President’s Working Group report on stablecoins (2021)

https://home.treasury.gov

Canada

• ​ Bank of Canada – Statements and discussion papers on stablecoins and digital money

https://www.bankofcanada.ca

• ​ Canadian Securities Administrators – Guidance on crypto assets and stablecoins

https://www.securities-administrators.ca

Issuer transparency (examples)

• ​ Circle – USDC reserve disclosures

https://www.circle.com/transparency

• ​ Tether – USDT reserve reports

https://tether.to/en/transparency/