Yield-bearing stablecoin slowdown ends 3-year run for crypto-native products
Yield-bearing stablecoin supply fell by more than $3.5 billion in the second quarter of 2026, reversing nearly three years of quarterly growth as crypto-native products contracted and Treasury-backed tokens expanded. Crypto exchange CEX.IO reported Thursday that the category declined by 15% during Q2. Ethena‘s sUSDe lost 52% of its supply, shedding nearly $2 billion, while Sky’s sUSDS declined by 16%. Treasury-backed products moved in the opposite direction. BlackRocks BUIDL grew by 2%, Circles USYC increased by nearly 16% and Ondo Finances USDY rose by over 66%, highlighting a widening divide between crypto-native yield assets and products backed by traditional assets. The divergence came as the broader stablecoin market recorded its first quarterly contraction since the third quarter of 2023, according to CEX.io. Total supply fell to $312 billion in Q2, while adjusted transaction volume declined by 5.5%. Supply growth per quarter, compiled by CEX.io. Source: CEX.io Stablecoin slowdown deepens after weaker Q1 signals The Q2 decline marks a sharp reversal from the start of 2026. In Q1, stablecoin supply increased by about $8 billion to a record $315 billion, with yield-bearing products among the main growth drivers. However, signs of weakening organic demand had already emerged early in the year. During the first quarter, retail-sized transfers fell