Key Findings
The Future of Account Funding Is 24/7, instant and crypto-friendly
Crypto and Stablecoin Adoption is Widespread
Strong Stablecoin Preference
Introduction
About the study: Zerohash partnered with Centiment to survey over 2,000 retail traders (people who trade instruments such as stocks and equities, crypto, CFDs, bonds and gilts) across the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, and the UAE to understand evolving expectations around trading and account funding.
Intro: Retail trading is evolving, becoming increasingly global and 24/7. Brokerages must adapt.
Today’s traders operate in a 24/7 world. They want to react to global events in real time, trade overnight, and fund accounts instantly, but legacy payment rails aren’t built for this. When traders need capital the most, funding delays let them down.
The result is rising frustration, missed opportunities and a hit to potential revenue for brokerages.
This report offers an in-depth analysis of the payment challenges facing modern traders, and their immense appetite for brokerages to offer stablecoins, as a source of instant, 24/7/365, borderless funding.
The survey findings reveal the extent to which high fees and deposit delays impact traders. Over half of traders report missing trades due to delays, and 19% have lost over $10,000 in potential investment opportunities as a result. Just 38% of traders are happy with their current brokerage deposit experience.
We also tracked behavioral shifts, with more traders now funding brokerage accounts after banking hours and participating in overnight trading; 48% regularly trade overnight. This isn’t theoretical either, overnight trading at Interactive Brokers grew 446% in the first 6 months of 2024. These trends are becoming key battlegrounds for brokerages looking to win and retain customers. With today’s traders using multiple apps, meeting these evolving needs is critical to keeping them active and loyal.
Perhaps it’s little surprise, then, that stablecoins are seen as an attractive funding alternative. A staggering 83% of traders want stablecoins as a funding option, particularly among the younger generation and traders in emerging markets.
It’s also why leading brokerages like tastytrade are already leveraging stablecoins to deliver faster, simpler, and globally accessible account funding (Skip to read more about this case study here). This is a huge opportunity, especially given traders who hold crypto were likely to deposit more often, and with larger volumes.
What’s more, traders are already comfortable with stablecoins, in fact, 66% have held or currently hold them. For brokerages, that’s a huge opportunity.
By letting customers fund their accounts directly with stablecoins, you remove the hassle of converting to dollars, dealing with slow cross-border transfers, and paying 1%+ in fees due to multiple intermediaries. Instead, funding becomes instant, seamless, and in the exact form customers already hold.
Meet the Modern Global Retail Trader
Markets are increasingly operating 24/7/365, with retail traders around the world keen to trade listed markets (US stocks and ETFs, US equity index futures and options, treasuries).
This has created a new landscape that has resulted in traders wanting to act as soon as the moment arises, whether it's an earnings call, a global election, or a weekend news cycle.
Always on. Always trading. Not always loyal.
Majority of traders Hold or Have Held Both Crypto and Stablecoins
Crypto and stablecoin adoption is already mainstream among traders. 73% have held crypto, and 66% have held stablecoins. This signals a user base that’s familiar with digital assets, and brokerages that can offer traders to use these assets for account funding are well placed to unlock deposit growth and volume
Funding friction means frustrated traders
Each delay is a lost trade, and each missed deposit is a potential risk for brokerages to lose their most active and valuable customers.
What frustrates you most about the current deposit process?
Why Stablecoins Are the Future of Account Funding
The Case for Stablecoins
Stablecoin funding is a growing user expectation. 83% of traders want the option to fund their accounts with stablecoins, and 27% say it would be their primary method. With 90% willing to switch platforms for faster and cheaper deposits, offering stablecoin funding is quickly becoming a competitive advantage for brokerages.
The CEO of IG North America, emphasized why stablecoins are attractive from the brokerage side:
Crypto-Native Traders Are the Brokerage Growth Engine
Deposit More, More Often
Crypto Traders Skew Heavily Toward High-Value Deposits
These high-tier depositors are the kind of active, high volume users that drive revenue growth.
Stablecoin demand globally: Emerging markets lead the way
Crypto adoption among traders is strong globally but even more pronounced in emerging markets such as UAE (84%), Mexico (83%), and Brazil (73%). These regions present a particular opportunity for brokerages, where adoption is high.
There is also tangible frustration with traditional deposit delays in these regions, with over a third of traders in UAE and Mexico dissatisfied with deposit speeds. These markets also show the highest demand for overnight trading, driven by a desire to access global markets around the world.
If brokerages can deliver instant deposits, they can meet the expectations of these active traders and unlock new revenue streams. With most traders in these regions using two or more trading apps, instant funding could be a key differentiator in driving platform loyalty and capturing market share.
GenZ and Millennial traders driving crypto adoption
Younger demographics are leading the charge in crypto and stablecoin adoption, with Millennials (age 25–34) at 84% and Gen Z (age 18–24) at 78%. These younger traders are also the most frustrated with deposit delays, with 31 and 33% respectively citing funding issues compared to just 13–19% among older groups . Overnight trading is significantly more prevalent among younger age groups (25–27% vs. 6–9% for age 54+), highlighting their desire for always-on access to markets. Overall, the data shows that crypto and stablecoin account funding for traders aged 18-44 present a serious opportunity for brokerages to attract and retain customers.
Why leading brokerages and trading platforms are embracing stablecoins
Challenge & Opportunity
Traditional payment rails (ACH, wires) are too slow and limited by banking hours, especially when traders want to act in the final moments before major market-moving events like the US election. USDC deposits deliver seamless, 24/7 deposit access to meet real-time trading demand.
Results powered by zerohash
Challenge & Opportunity
For a global brokerage platform like tastytrade, traditional funding methods such as bank wires and ACH transfers can slow everything down. Traders often deal with multi-day settlement delays, currency conversion fees, and the added frustration of limited access outside U.S.
banking hours. For international customers, that means higher costs and slower time to trade.By adding stablecoin account funding, tastytrade gives users instant, 24/7/365 cross-border deposits, lower costs by cutting out intermediaries and FX fees, and a smoother onboarding experience for both international and crypto-native traders.
Results powered by zerohash
Modern Traders Expect Better. Stablecoins Deliver It.
The data is clear; today’s traders operate in a 24/7, global market where news creates in-the-moment investment opportunities, but traditional funding rails can’t keep up.
Delays, fees, and banking limits are breaking the trader experience and putting brokerage revenue at risk. Stablecoins deliver what traders demand: instant, borderless, low-cost account funding. With 83% of traders wanting the option to fund with stablecoins, and 90% willing to switch platforms for a better experience, brokerages that move first will gain an edge.
Brokerages like Kalshi and tastytrade are already seeing the results: millions in new deposits, higher-value users, and global access without the legacy account funding friction. The brokerages that embrace stablecoins will own the next generation of trader loyalty and growth.