Similarly, stablecoins have also been receiving a massive welcome from different jurisdictions. These two digital payment technologies have gone from niche topics in crypto circles to primary considerations for global monetary policy and business innovation.

In fact, they're often painted as being on a collision course, each vying to define the future of money. And in the middle of this tug-of-war between centralised and decentralised finance, blockchain networks like Solana have become increasingly relevant. Their high-speed infrastructure powers some of the most popular stablecoins on the market today, making them a key part of the broader digital payment ecosystem.

Investors and users alike often use the Solana price AUD and other metrics to gauge Solana's health and the performance of apps and tokens tied to it, including stablecoins. And perhaps surprising, Solana's stablecoin supply experienced significant growth early this year (2025), increasing by 2.25x between January and February. With both sides gaining momentum, it's easy to see why the conversation around CBDCs and stablecoins is heating up.

Understanding CBDCs and their adoption trends

A CBDC is simply a digital form of a fiat currency issued and regulated by the respective government. CBDCs have become relevant, especially now that expectations around payments are rapidly changing given the prevailing tech advances. Interestingly, the Atlantic Council reveals that 134 countries, which contribute 98% of the global GDP, are already exploring this technology.

That's a significant increase from 2020, when the number was only 35. Remember, as much as digital currencies would help address financial inclusion issues, issues like the lack of control would still affect their penetration. While governments are working hard to ensure financial inclusion, they still want to maintain control over their monetary systems.

And that's where CBDCs come in. Unlike crypto, which is highly decentralised, these digital forms of fiat currencies are directly tied to national monetary policy and are meant to hold a stable value. With cash becoming less viable in this digital age, governments could actually use these tokens to improve access to financial services among unbanked populations.

China, with its Digital Yuan (e-CNY), is among the countries leading the CBDC trend. By mid-2024, it had already onboarded 180 million wallets, or about 12.76% of the country's population. Other nations like India and Brazil have also joined in this wave, pointing to what might be the new future in finance.