Travel Tech spoke with leading experts to understand what stablecoins are, how they can help the travel industry mitigate cross-border payment risks, and what impact the GENIUS Act will have on the use of stablecoins.
With the recent passage of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act) into law, the United States has taken a major step toward establishing clear federal standards for stablecoin adoption. The new law opens the door for industries to explore how this technology can simplify payments and strengthen financial transparency.
The travel industry—defined by high transaction volumes, cross-border payments, and a complex network of suppliers—is emerging as one of the most promising sectors for stablecoin adoption. In their 2024 paper, Stablecoins: New Perspectives for Travel and Tourism, published in Annals of Tourism Research, Dr. Viktor Manahov and Dr. Mingnan Li explore how stablecoins can streamline payments, mitigate exchange-rate risks, and strengthen trust across the global travel ecosystem. “Travel involves millions of international transactions every day—between airlines, hotels, intermediaries, and travelers,” they explain. “Stablecoins can simplify these payments, reduce exchange-rate costs, and bring greater transparency and trust to the process.”
Stablecoins—digital currencies pegged to fiat assets like the U.S. dollar—offer faster, lower-cost, and more reliable transactions across borders. They also align with evolving consumer preferences. Gen Z and Millennial travelers, in particular, are more comfortable using digital assets and value seamless, tech-forward experiences when booking and paying for travel.
To learn more about stablecoins and the impact of the GENIUS Act, Travel Tech President and CEO Laura Chadwick sat down with Jessica Martinez, Senior Director of Government Relations at the Blockchain Association, for the latest episode of the Passport Podcast.
“Stablecoins could be a place to revolutionize and disrupt how travel has been done,” Martinez stated. “It helps both businesses and consumers save money, can be used right at our fingertips to make payments instantaneously and across borders, which is a huge positive since we live in a global economy now and going beyond the borders is important.”
###
The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) empowers traveler choice by advocating for public policy that promotes marketplace transparency and competition. Travel Tech represents the leading innovators in travel technology, including online travel agencies, metasearch engines, short-term rental platforms, global distribution systems, and travel management companies.
To schedule an interview with a Travel Tech spokesperson, contact Bradford Williamson of Glen Echo Group at 202.870.3234 or bwilliamson@glenechogroup.com.
