The Stablecoin Reading List I Wish I’d Had Two Years Ago
Two years into studying stablecoins, I can finally articulate the problem I faced at the start: too much noise, not enough signal. The space is cluttered with promotional threads, surface-level takes, and thought pieces that gesture at importance without explaining machinery. What I needed—and what you’re holding now—was a curated path through the essential work written by people who actually understand payment infrastructure, monetary systems, and the cryptographic rails underneath.
This reading list represents what amounts to a university course. I’ve spent two years following Nic Carter’s monetary analysis and infrastructure deep dives (including his Murmurations blog), Simon Taylor’s fintech lens, and the a16z crypto team’s systematic breakdowns. These writers don’t hype; they explain. They show you the rulebook, the incentives, and the failure modes. That’s what makes this collection worth your time.
How to use this list
If you’re starting from scratch: Begin with Section 1 (Foundations & Primers) and move sequentially. The primers establish definitions and mental models you’ll need later.
If you’re topic-focused: Jump directly to the section that matters—cross-border payments, regulatory frameworks, technical architecture.
If you’re already conversant: Skip to Section 5 (Critical Analysis) for the sharpest debates and forward-looking questions.
Last updated: November 18, 2025
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1. Foundations & Primers
Core understanding of what stablecoins are and why they matter
Start here. These pieces establish the taxonomy, mechanisms, and historical context.
Cryptodollars – Nic Carter (Castle Island Ventures, 2020)
The foundational paper. Carter introduces “cryptodollars” as a concept and lays out the monetary and technical vision. Must-read.
Stablecoins in 1,000 words – Matt Brown
Perfect entry point. Clear, compact explanation of stablecoin types and basic mechanics.
How to Think About Stablecoins – Alex Johnson
Provides a mental framework for analysing value and use cases without getting lost in technical weeds.
Understanding Stablecoins Banking History – a16z crypto
Essential context. Shows how stablecoins relate to historical banking evolution—private money issuance, reserve backing, and trust infrastructure.
Stablecoin Guide: What, Why, How – a16z crypto
Comprehensive fundamentals guide covering the basics with the a16z team’s characteristic precision.
A Stablecoin Primer – Jas Shah
Another strong introduction to concepts, mechanisms, and ecosystem dynamics.
2. Infrastructure & Technical Architecture
How stablecoins work technically and their position in the payments stack
Once you understand what stablecoins are, you need to understand the machinery: blockchain rails, payment flows, trust infrastructure, and interoperability.
Situating Stablecoins in the Payments Landscape – Nic Carter
Carter’s infrastructure analysis is some of the best in the space. This piece maps where stablecoins sit among traditional payment methods—schemes, rails, and settlement layers.
Yes We Really Do Want to Trust Crypto – Nic Carter
The trust infrastructure underpinning stablecoin systems. Carter’s writing consistently cuts through the “trustless” rhetoric to show where institutional and technical trust actually matters.
BVNK Stablecoin Infrastructure – Jas Shah
Examines modern stablecoin infrastructure providers and their role in the ecosystem.
Blockchains, Banks, Asset Managers, Fintechs – a16z crypto
How traditional financial institutions are integrating with blockchain infrastructure. Shows the convergence happening beneath the surface.
On-Chain Foreign Exchange and Cross-Border Payments – Circle
Technical deep dive on implementing FX and payments on-chain. Gets into settlement mechanics and liquidity.
Squaring the Circle – Luca Prosperi
Technical analysis of stablecoin mechanics and market dynamics from another sharp voice in the space.
The 10 Minute Guide to Tether – Luca Prosperi
Comprehensive overview of USDT’s technical architecture and business model. Love it or hate it, Tether dominates—understand why.
Deep dive into how stablecoins function within the broader crypto financial system.
3. Real-World Applications & Market Dynamics
Use cases, adoption patterns, and market structure
This is where stablecoins leave the whiteboard and enter the real economy. Cross-border flows, emerging market dollarisation, corporate adoption, and market evolution.
Cross-Border & Emerging Markets
Cross-Border Payments in ~1,000 words – Matt Brown
Overview of how cross-border payments work today and where stablecoins fit into that machinery.
It’s Time Local Went Global – Activant Capital
The case for stablecoins in international commerce. Well-argued and grounded in payment system realities.
Getting to the Crux of Stablecoin Utility – Josh from Parafi
Analysis of how stablecoins power the DeFi ecosystem—collateral, liquidity, composability.
Stablecoins: The Emerging Market Story – Nic Carter (at Castle Island)
Deep analysis of adoption in developing economies.
Making Sense of Tether on Tron – Liam Horne
Why USDT on Tron became the dominant stablecoin for global payments, and how Ethereum can compete. Excellent on-chain data analysis.
Dollarisation 2.0: How Stablecoins Unlock Emerging Markets – VIDEO – Nic Carter & Martin Carrica
Deep exploration of stablecoin adoption in countries with unstable currencies. Carter’s monetary analysis shines here.
Industry Adoption & Market Analysis
State of Crypto Report 2024: New Data on Stablecoins – a16z crypto
Comprehensive market data showing stablecoin growth hitting all-time highs. The a16z team brings real numbers and trend analysis.
Stripe Acquires Bridge: Stablecoins, Platform of Platforms – Ben Thompson
Deep analysis of Stripe’s $1.1B acquisition signalling institutional adoption. Thompson’s strategic lens is always worth reading.
Why Stripe Spent $1.1B on Bridge – Simon Taylor
Simon’s financial infrastructure perspective on Stripe’s strategic stablecoin play. He’s one of the sharpest observers of fintech-crypto convergence.
Stablecoins 2030 – Citi GPS Report
Institutional research on the future trajectory of stablecoin markets. Big bank perspective with actual numbers.
Crypto Neobanks – Bankless
How crypto-native banking services are being built on stablecoin rails.
PayPal PYUSD: Does It Really Matter? – Luca Prosperi
Analysis of corporate stablecoin initiatives and their market impact. Healthy scepticism applied.
Market Structure & Evolution
The Great Onchain Migration – Pantera Capital
Vision for how stablecoins enable the shift to onchain finance. Forward-looking but grounded.
The Stablecoin Duopoly is Ending – Nic Carter
Analysis of changing market dynamics and new entrants. Carter tracking competitive shifts as they happen.
Stablecoins Are Better – Simon Taylor
Why stablecoins represent a superior payment infrastructure. Simon making the case clearly.
Visa Crypto Report – Visa UK
Payment network perspective on stablecoin integration. Useful to see how the incumbents are thinking.
4. Regulatory & Policy Landscape
Global regulatory frameworks and policy perspectives
Stablecoins operate at the intersection of technology, finance, and regulation. Understanding the policy landscape is non-optional.
Statement on Stablecoins – SEC Division of Corporation Finance
SEC’s official view on certain stablecoins not being securities. Critical for U.S. regulatory clarity.
The CLARITY Act – Why It Matters, What to Know, and What to Do – a16z crypto
Breaking down proposed U.S. stablecoin legislation. The a16z policy team does excellent work translating regulatory proposals.
FCA – Regulating cryptoassets Phase 1: Stablecoins – UK Financial Conduct Authority
UK’s approach to stablecoin regulation. Dense but important for understanding the British framework.
The EU’s MiCA Framework: The One Regulation to Rule Them All – Patrick Hansen
Comprehensive breakdown of Europe’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation—its genesis, goals, rules, and global implications.
American Leadership in the Digital Financial Technology – White House
Policy perspective on U.S. strategic advantages in stablecoins. Shows how policymakers are thinking about competition and innovation.
5. Critical Analysis & Future Perspectives
Challenges, criticisms, and forward-looking views
The best learning happens when you engage with criticism and uncertainty. These pieces push back, raise hard questions, and explore what might come next.
Death To Stablecoins! – Luca Prosperi
Critical take on stablecoin risks and limitations. Worth reading to stress-test your assumptions.
The Last Word on Stablecoins and Free Banking – Nic Carter
Historical perspective on private money issuance and its implications. Carter bringing banking history to bear on crypto debates.
Nic Carter’s Bull Case For Stablecoins – VIDEO – Nic Carter
Comprehensive argument for stablecoin adoption. Carter at his best—monetary theory, practical adoption, geopolitical implications.
Will the real stablecoin please stand up – BIS
Comparison of different stablecoin models and their trade-offs. Central bank perspective with technical depth.
A Very Stable Future – Real-world Applications for Stablecoins – Ayo Omojola
Comprehensive exploration of stablecoin use cases and future potential. Broad and forward-looking.
6. Essential Resources & Ongoing Coverage
Stay connected with ongoing stablecoin developments
The space moves quickly. These resources keep you current.
Podcasts
Tokenized – Simon Taylor & Cuy Sheffield
Regular deep dives on stablecoin developments and digital asset infrastructure. Simon Taylor co-hosts, which tells you the quality level.
Essential Blogs & Newsletters
Murmurations , Nic Carter’s Old Articles – Nic Carter
Carter’s infrastructure-focused blog covering DeFi, stablecoins, and crypto financial systems. Deep technical analysis with precision and clarity.
Fintech Brainfood – Simon Taylor
Weekly fintech insights with regular stablecoin and digital asset coverage. Simon’s one of the best at connecting traditional finance and crypto infrastructure.
Critical analysis of DeFi, stablecoins, and crypto financial infrastructure. Luca’s work has been essential to my own understanding—he writes with precision and doesn’t shy away from complexity.
A note on curation
This is a living document. The pieces above earned their place through rigour, clarity, and willingness to engage with both potential and risk. If you’ve found an exceptional piece on stablecoins that should be included, let me know.
The writers I’ve highlighted—Luca, Nic, Simon, and the a16z crypto team—set the standard. They explain machinery, cite sources, map incentives, and acknowledge uncertainty. That’s the bar.
Start reading.