Emerging-market users are treating crypto exchanges like banking apps, Binance says

Emerging Market Users

77%

Percentage of Binance users from emerging markets in 2026, up from 49% in 2020

Adults Lacking Financial Services

1.3 billion

Number of adults globally without access to financial services

Stablecoin Portfolio Holdings

36%

Percentage of emerging-market Binance users with balances of at least $10 who hold at least half of their portfolio in stablecoins

⦿ Executive Snapshot

What: Emerging-market users are increasingly treating crypto exchanges like banking apps, with Binance reporting a significant rise in adoption.
Who: Binance, emerging-market users, Moody's, the World Bank, IMF.
Why it matters: This trend highlights the role of crypto platforms as alternative financial infrastructure in regions with limited banking access, raising questions about financial resilience and regulatory oversight.

Emerging markets accounted for 77% of Binance users in 2026, a significant increase from 49% in 2020.
1.3 billion adults lack access to financial services, while 4.7 billion lack credit, according to Binance.
36% of emerging-market Binance users with balances of at least $10 hold at least half of their portfolio in stablecoins, indicating savings-oriented usage.

The report frames crypto adoption as a financial-access story, highlighting the gap in traditional banking services in emerging markets.
Users in emerging markets show savings rates more than twice as high as those in developed markets, indicating a shift in financial behavior.

Immediate market consequence: Increased reliance on crypto platforms as substitutes for traditional banking services in emerging markets.
Long-term operational implication: Potential for stablecoins to reshape financial transactions and savings in regions with limited access to traditional financial services.

Potential risk: Regulatory challenges and concerns over financial resilience and monetary sovereignty associated with stablecoin usage.
Potential risk: Competition from traditional financial institutions and other emerging fintech solutions.

Forward signal: Continued monitoring of stablecoin adoption rates and regulations affecting their use in emerging markets.
Forward signal: Upcoming reports from financial institutions assessing the impact of crypto on traditional banking systems in these regions.