How Mercuryo Is Transforming Global Payments with Stablecoins
In Brief
Mercuryo is quietly transforming global payments by using stablecoins to make cross-border transactions, payroll, and everyday wallets seamless, invisible, and cost-efficient.
Arthur Firstov, Chief Business Officer at Mercuryo, reveals a future where stablecoins quietly underpin the global financial system, powering everything from cross-border payroll to enterprise treasury management.
Arthur has been in crypto since 2017, building expertise in connecting Web3 and traditional finance. He has driven strategic partnerships, scaled Mercuryo’s revenues, and led integrations with major crypto platforms, while being a recognized voice on fiat-to-crypto rails, embedded payments, and DeFi solutions.
In this interview, he shares how Mercuryo is bridging the gap between fiat and crypto, making wallets and payments seamless for everyday users, and why the next wave of crypto adoption will be defined not by speculation, but by practical utility.
What major trends in crypto payments and fintech are you most closely watching right now?
We’re watching two parallel shifts: the institutional embrace of stablecoins and the push to embed crypto functionality into everyday platforms. We see major retailers and fintechs moving from pilots into live payout products, while stablecoins are becoming a preferred tool for cross-border flows and payouts. At the same time, regulation in the EU and Asia is setting global precedents, creating a clearer pathway for adoption.
How do you see the role of stablecoins evolving in global payments over the next few years?
Stablecoins are already reshaping settlement. They combine the speed and cost-efficiency of blockchain rails with the familiarity of fiat. In the next few years, we expect them to rival traditional systems like SWIFT for cross-border payments. Their role is expanding beyond trading into payroll, remittances, and enterprise treasury management, in many ways becoming the invisible plumbing of the global financial system.
Do you expect regulatory developments in Europe or the US to accelerate or slow down innovation in payments?
In Europe, frameworks like MiCA are accelerating innovation by giving companies the clarity they need to launch products at scale. In the US, the path is more fragmented: rules like the GENIUS Act are positive steps, but uncertainty still slows new launches. Over time, we believe regulatory convergence between the US, EU, and Asia will unlock a new era of interoperability and trust in payments.
What unique challenges do you face when building infrastructure that works across both fiat and crypto?
The challenge is twofold: first, ensuring liquidity and compliance across very different systems, and second, making the user experience seamless. Most people don’t want to think about whether they’re transacting dollars, euros, or USDC, they just want the process to work instantly, safely, and at low cost. Our job is to handle the complexity in the background so users don’t have to think about it.
Can you share how your partnerships with major players (exchanges, wallets, fintech projects) have shaped your growth strategy?
Partnerships are central to our strategy. Working with major players in the space has allowed us to reduce costs for millions of users and simplify onboarding. These alliances ensure we’re not just building infrastructure in isolation, but actively improving accessibility and security across the ecosystem.
What should we expect next from the Mercuryo team in terms of new launches or updates?
You’ll have to watch this space. We’re looking forward to expanding our footprint with new integrations and continuing to embed our infrastructure into mainstream fintech and payment platforms.
If you had to make one bold prediction about payments in the next five years, what would it be?
Within five years, stablecoins will power a significant share of global cross-border settlement, and most people won’t even realize they’re using blockchain. The rails will be invisible, but the benefits (faster, cheaper, borderless payments) will be felt everywhere.
Please tell us a bit about your recent report with Protocol Theory. What was the goal, and what surprised you most about the findings?
We set out to understand why crypto wallets haven’t crossed the chasm from early adopters to mainstream. What surprised us was the unevenness of adoption. Wealthier Americans are adopting wallets and enjoying the benefits, while lower-income communities, who stand to gain the most, are often pushed toward costly options like Bitcoin ATMs that can charge fees of 15-20%. The problem isn’t lack of interest, it’s that wallets are still too complex, too expensive, and not visible enough in everyday life.
What does the industry need to do to close the access gap, and what role does Mercuryo see itself playing in solving this challenge?
We need to make wallets as simple and affordable as mainstream financial tools. This means cutting fees, abstracting away complexity, and embedding wallet functionality into the apps people already use every day. At Mercuryo, we’re tackling this by partnering with leading wallets and fintechs, launching lower-cost on-ramps, and designing infrastructure that bridges fiat and crypto seamlessly. Our role is to ensure the people who stand to benefit most from crypto aren’t the ones paying the highest costs.
What’s your outlook for crypto adoption in the US?
Adoption will continue to rise, but not because of speculation. It will rise when crypto feels like a natural extension of how people already manage money. As regulation provides more clarity, and as wallets become as intuitive as Apple Pay or Venmo, we expect crypto to shift from a niche product into a mainstream financial tool. The next phase isn’t about hype, it’s about utility.
You can view the full report, titled “Beyond early adopters: What it takes for crypto to matter in everyday life” here.
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About The Author
Victoria is a writer on a variety of technology topics including Web3.0, AI and cryptocurrencies. Her extensive experience allows her to write insightful articles for the wider audience.
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Victoria is a writer on a variety of technology topics including Web3.0, AI and cryptocurrencies. Her extensive experience allows her to write insightful articles for the wider audience.
